CliMAX News
The Return of CliMAX
Perhaps the excitement had been too much, but CliMAX, in all it's forms went into hibernation for 8 years, only to emerge with a BANG yesterday. The Class of 2011 were auctioned off to managers Ceyone Williams and Ella Gregory for a combined value of £3,000,000. The teams that clashed had unfortunate names; It will become apparent why the Undefeatables required two less letters and with Charlie Gregory - yes The CliMAX-girl! - scoring most runs in the game then 'Ella's Fellas' was another misnomer.
Not withstanding the team names, it was the Ella's Fellas that took to the field first and CliMAX-Kid Nathaniel Gregory was entrusted with the ball first a lengthy lay off. This seemed no challenge for Undefeatables openers Peter Richards and Gareth Langman who milked him for 9 runs and it needed a silly run out in the second over to halt them. From there wickets fell in every over - Richards, Harry Abel, Will Turner, Will Noble and even CliMAX-Board designer Peter Gregory. When Harry Righton was out Tom 'Ducky' Clarkson came together with Aussie Haydn Jones and their partnership spanned the Undefeatables Time Out taken when the score was a meagre 17.
Ella's Fellas gave Peter Richards the responsibility of opening the bowling. It took just two deliveries for Josh Collins The Face of CliMAX to be sent back to the hutch, but Jack Grundy opened his account with a first ball MAXimum. Jack and Jonty Makin were on fine form, knocking up 174 in 3 overs before Makin (134) followed his valuable shot worth 100 by being run out. Perhaps Grundy was dwelling too much on his part in this run out when two balls later he succumbed to a caught and bowled by Harry Righton. Sam Elson followed immediately, but Rich Bryan and Adam Webb managed a decent partnership of 128 after Webb opened his account with shots worth 10 and 100 (MAXimum ...MAXimum). When Whitmore followed Webb back to the hutch, manager Ella Gregory called a Time Out , hoping to cool things in her camp down, while the oven was put on to heat up supper.
Duckie Clarkson and Aussie Jones resumed with five overs (fifty balls) to go and things began to warm up with a MAXimum from Matt Spencer's last delivery followed by one next ball from Rich Bryan. Jones benefiting to the tune of 100 runs began to pile on the pressure with a further brace of MAXimi (plural of MAXimum) scored off Bryan. It looked like nothing could stop this Anglo-Australian pairing who had 255 runs on the board with 3 deliveries left, but a rush of blood saw Clarkson attempting to clear the ropes for a second time off the tasty looking long hops from Josh - The Face of CliMAX - Collins. The CliMAX-Kid positioned himself nicely under the catch and clung hold, sending Clarkson on his way. Ceyone's face fell as he prepared a managers roasting for Duckie Clarkson. Tom 'Frosty' Frost was sent to cool things down and calmly nudged 3 to give the strike back to in-form Jones. A silly wide gave the Undefeatables an extra delivery and 'free hit' but Jones could not quite clear the ropes and had to settle for a final four and a total of eight. Yes, that's just eight!
Pizza and lasagne in the oven now, Ella's Fellas came back out with bats in hand. One MAXimum later Rich Bryan was out after reaching 34. Matt Spencer fell same style - MAX .. . Out - Caught Langman bowled Noble, but that brought CliMAX-Girl Charlie Gregory to the crease. Consistent hitting tactics paid off for the CliMAX-Girl who twice cleared the ropes following MAXimums and so amassed 232 runs all off The Father of CliMAX Peter Gregory. These successes appeared to be going to the CliMAX-Girl's head and even in the 9th and penultimate over she chanced her arm time and time again. Eventually she lofted one to Turner giving Duckie Clarkson his first of two wickets. The second was expensive rival The CliMAX-Kid himself - Nathaniel Gregory - who managed just one MAXimum before being castled by a Clarkson googly. PeePee Parmenter had seen enough and tried to accelerate an innings of 34 from 24 balls without success, caught in the deep off Tom Frost.
With a curious symmetry there was just two scheduled deliveries to go in the innings, but for Ella's Fellas they were recycling previous batters and The Face of CliMAX was back together with Makin. Makin was on strike and decided to chance his arm straight away. The hitting tactic paid off and he cleared the leg side boundary for a MAXimum. Ella's Fellas were in the lead and a block was all they needed, but the glory of makin' history was on Makin's mind despite the pleading of The Face. Frosty ran in, cool as a cucumber, and Makin wound up....... contact made Makin launched the ball out of the park. 100 more runs. But you can't finish CliMAX cricket on a MAXimum and Frosty needed to deliver another 'pie' to Makin. Fancying the first kiloMAX sequence in eight years, Jonty took an even bigger back swing and anchored his front foot outside the line of leg stump. The bat flashed through, totally missing the ball and the ball totally missed the stumps and the scorers recorded a dot ball. With that Ella's Fellas achieved a famous victory and CliMAX cricket is back - on Board.
Not withstanding the team names, it was the Ella's Fellas that took to the field first and CliMAX-Kid Nathaniel Gregory was entrusted with the ball first a lengthy lay off. This seemed no challenge for Undefeatables openers Peter Richards and Gareth Langman who milked him for 9 runs and it needed a silly run out in the second over to halt them. From there wickets fell in every over - Richards, Harry Abel, Will Turner, Will Noble and even CliMAX-Board designer Peter Gregory. When Harry Righton was out Tom 'Ducky' Clarkson came together with Aussie Haydn Jones and their partnership spanned the Undefeatables Time Out taken when the score was a meagre 17.
Ella's Fellas gave Peter Richards the responsibility of opening the bowling. It took just two deliveries for Josh Collins The Face of CliMAX to be sent back to the hutch, but Jack Grundy opened his account with a first ball MAXimum. Jack and Jonty Makin were on fine form, knocking up 174 in 3 overs before Makin (134) followed his valuable shot worth 100 by being run out. Perhaps Grundy was dwelling too much on his part in this run out when two balls later he succumbed to a caught and bowled by Harry Righton. Sam Elson followed immediately, but Rich Bryan and Adam Webb managed a decent partnership of 128 after Webb opened his account with shots worth 10 and 100 (MAXimum ...MAXimum). When Whitmore followed Webb back to the hutch, manager Ella Gregory called a Time Out , hoping to cool things in her camp down, while the oven was put on to heat up supper.
Duckie Clarkson and Aussie Jones resumed with five overs (fifty balls) to go and things began to warm up with a MAXimum from Matt Spencer's last delivery followed by one next ball from Rich Bryan. Jones benefiting to the tune of 100 runs began to pile on the pressure with a further brace of MAXimi (plural of MAXimum) scored off Bryan. It looked like nothing could stop this Anglo-Australian pairing who had 255 runs on the board with 3 deliveries left, but a rush of blood saw Clarkson attempting to clear the ropes for a second time off the tasty looking long hops from Josh - The Face of CliMAX - Collins. The CliMAX-Kid positioned himself nicely under the catch and clung hold, sending Clarkson on his way. Ceyone's face fell as he prepared a managers roasting for Duckie Clarkson. Tom 'Frosty' Frost was sent to cool things down and calmly nudged 3 to give the strike back to in-form Jones. A silly wide gave the Undefeatables an extra delivery and 'free hit' but Jones could not quite clear the ropes and had to settle for a final four and a total of eight. Yes, that's just eight!
Pizza and lasagne in the oven now, Ella's Fellas came back out with bats in hand. One MAXimum later Rich Bryan was out after reaching 34. Matt Spencer fell same style - MAX .. . Out - Caught Langman bowled Noble, but that brought CliMAX-Girl Charlie Gregory to the crease. Consistent hitting tactics paid off for the CliMAX-Girl who twice cleared the ropes following MAXimums and so amassed 232 runs all off The Father of CliMAX Peter Gregory. These successes appeared to be going to the CliMAX-Girl's head and even in the 9th and penultimate over she chanced her arm time and time again. Eventually she lofted one to Turner giving Duckie Clarkson his first of two wickets. The second was expensive rival The CliMAX-Kid himself - Nathaniel Gregory - who managed just one MAXimum before being castled by a Clarkson googly. PeePee Parmenter had seen enough and tried to accelerate an innings of 34 from 24 balls without success, caught in the deep off Tom Frost.
With a curious symmetry there was just two scheduled deliveries to go in the innings, but for Ella's Fellas they were recycling previous batters and The Face of CliMAX was back together with Makin. Makin was on strike and decided to chance his arm straight away. The hitting tactic paid off and he cleared the leg side boundary for a MAXimum. Ella's Fellas were in the lead and a block was all they needed, but the glory of makin' history was on Makin's mind despite the pleading of The Face. Frosty ran in, cool as a cucumber, and Makin wound up....... contact made Makin launched the ball out of the park. 100 more runs. But you can't finish CliMAX cricket on a MAXimum and Frosty needed to deliver another 'pie' to Makin. Fancying the first kiloMAX sequence in eight years, Jonty took an even bigger back swing and anchored his front foot outside the line of leg stump. The bat flashed through, totally missing the ball and the ball totally missed the stumps and the scorers recorded a dot ball. With that Ella's Fellas achieved a famous victory and CliMAX cricket is back - on Board.
CliMAX to season
The Farmer of CliMAX (Sam 'Boris' Douthwaite) along with CliMAX-Original Will 'The Noble' held their nerves, as expected of CliMAX cricketers, to clinch their league and earn promotion for Stratford IIs on Saturday. A boundary struck from the last ball was enough for the boys who had to consider a MAXimum to stay in the game when playing our superior version of cricket. Meanwhile the CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory took four wickets and hit 44 more runs to end a magnificent season for Stratford First XI with others from the CliMAX-Community, such as Ben Pigott and Tom Grundy. A tally of 350+ runs in 8 games in the Birmingham League show that his 100,000s of runs in CliMAX were no fluke and that CliMAX has to be the best preparation for any form of the game. Even the ex-England Coach Andy Flower who is now with Stratford, is left wondering what peaks the CliMAX-Kid can scale in the game.
Not Board in the Summer Holiday
The quiet world of CliMAX was shattered by excited screams and exasperated cries when CliMAX-Board emerged from its storage cabinet this afternoon. The threat of rain curtailed plans of parks and outdoor play for the Gregory family who are at the heart of the CliMAX-Community, but one of the youngest fanatics, Ella, demanded the indoor version when Catherine Jeal returned to Stikki-Wikkit after more than a year.
One and a half million pounds could be considered a lot of money for minors to handle, but the pair handled it wisely, purchasing balanced sides from the Class of 2010, with specialist batters, specialist bowlers, ace wicket-keepers and ace fielders.
Ella won the toss and thought to make first use of the superbly prepared surface. She sent Tom Coote to open with another former Hatherley & Reddings legend Craig Baker. Coote the younger was out after just a couple of singles were scored when teammate Andy Edwards enticed an edge through to Mike Cupper at first slip. This brought in Tommo of Yuberton and a productive spell of two overs, which saw both batters hitting MAXima. Baker’s consecutive MAXima contributed most and the score raced on to 157, before Tommo misjudged a sharp single and was beaten by the throw, run-out for 32 from 13 deliveries.
Jack Sexton came out to face the last two ball of Rich Bryan’s over and caused whoops of delight sending his first ball out of the dining room for a MAXimum. Another boundary took his score on to 14, but Sam Elson bowling the fourth over for Catherine removed Sexton at his first attempt caught by Bryan in the deep with Sexton trying one too many big hit.
Batting coach, Ella, seemed almost pleased to lose this wicket, which was soon explicable when her brother The CliMAX-Kid, Nat Gregory, strode confidently to the middle. An arrogant MAXimum from his first ball announced the Kid’s arrival and the score cruised up to 20 by the end of Elson’s over. Ella called her time-out, feeling ready to test the quality of Catherine’s batting line up.
Catherine seemed a little naïve in sending cheapest CliMAX player (and usually an umpire) Bunny Baldwin to bat with Tom Crofts. Forgetting his age, non-striker Bunny called the agile Crofts for a quick single, but then realised his own legs were not moving, despite good intent. He changed his call to “no” and Crofts was stranded in the middle of the pitch when the throw arrived at the wicketkeeper. Crofts was gone and Bunny had his tail between his legs in remorse. Now ever time Catherine’s bowlers had appealed for a wicket, the umpires turned them down, but Ella’s bowlers had no such problem. Home advantage or cursed bad luck on the roll of a dice for Catherine we do not like to say, but first Bunny was given run-out on a tight line call, then Edwards was given out from the leg spin of Ducky Clarkson with the ball brushing the bottom and going through to the keeper (that’s caught out in CliMAX). Total confusion took control of Catherine’s batters, exemplified by Crofts and Coote whose misunderstandings led to run-outs.
Nick Herbert came back from Australia to bowl for Ella and produced sweet outswing at pace to induce edges from Rich Bryan and Sam Elson. Even CliMAX hero, Jack Edge was mesmerised and found a way to be run out for 4. Ace-wicketkeeper with pretentions to bat came in at number 10 and his own approach to batting in CliMAX. He struck a MAXimum and then to the pleasure of Catherine repeated struck out successfully next ball. The score shot to 110 and Catherine had leapt in to the lead. Catherine took her option of a time-out immediately. Whether it was a quiet word in Catherine’s ear from the umpire/scorer/game designer Peter Gregory or that she is an instinctive tactical genius is left to your judgement, but surely it was right to put the pressure back on Ella’s batters having got her nose a long way in front.
Now, a great advantage of CliMAX over traditional cricket is the way the game has a result at any stage should the game be cut short. Outdoors, the English weather is likely to disrupt play, but indoors it is more likely that a mother wishes to get back for her supper. And so it was on 17th September 2014. The gastric call was too great and Claire Jeal announced the game must end in 5 minutes. And so it was that Ella’s experienced pairing of Baker and The Kid were left to cook something up in an over of so. Catherine pulled out another ace from her pack with all-rounder Mike Cupper. He was to bowl and it took him just 3 balls to separate this dangerous pair. He found a way through Baker’s technique and bowled him for 150 splendid runs.
Now the pressure shifted onto The CliMAX-Kid who has repaid his coaches investment time over time in similar circumstances,………….. but this time he only found one more boundary before being skittled by the irrepressible Cupper. As dark drew in and Claire’s mug was emptied, Ella knew it was do or die and she sent in Nick Herbert to join Ever Ready Freddie Rawlings. Herbert knows only one way, but his expansive drive let him down and he was the third to be sent back to the hutch bowled for a golden duck.
Last chance saloon or what? Ben Pigott raced to the crease to take advantage of a few balls left before end of play would be called. At that appointed hour there would be one more delivery and of course, even Ella’s batters would have a chance to win - a MAXimum or extra would keep the game alive with another delivery and so on. Ten runs were scored, seven by Pigott and three more by Rawlings when final hooter sounded. Now Sam Coote the senior ran in in the knowledge he would win the CliMAX of the season if he could hold his nerve, avoid and extra (wide, no-ball or bye) or MAXimum. A last roll of the dice and a noise as Pigott flailed wildly at a ball outside off, trying to heave it over midwicket for one glorious MAXimum. “Howzat” yelled Coote Senior and a groan from Ella as the eyes turned on the umpire. (A two was rolled) “Out” stated Peter and Ella’s score dropped back to zero. Catherine chortled gleefully, “I knew all along I would win!”
Not everyone can stand the excitement of CliMAX, but if you think you have what it takes, contact us through this link. [Click here to send a message to the CliMAX designer stating how you would like to be involved].
One and a half million pounds could be considered a lot of money for minors to handle, but the pair handled it wisely, purchasing balanced sides from the Class of 2010, with specialist batters, specialist bowlers, ace wicket-keepers and ace fielders.
Ella won the toss and thought to make first use of the superbly prepared surface. She sent Tom Coote to open with another former Hatherley & Reddings legend Craig Baker. Coote the younger was out after just a couple of singles were scored when teammate Andy Edwards enticed an edge through to Mike Cupper at first slip. This brought in Tommo of Yuberton and a productive spell of two overs, which saw both batters hitting MAXima. Baker’s consecutive MAXima contributed most and the score raced on to 157, before Tommo misjudged a sharp single and was beaten by the throw, run-out for 32 from 13 deliveries.
Jack Sexton came out to face the last two ball of Rich Bryan’s over and caused whoops of delight sending his first ball out of the dining room for a MAXimum. Another boundary took his score on to 14, but Sam Elson bowling the fourth over for Catherine removed Sexton at his first attempt caught by Bryan in the deep with Sexton trying one too many big hit.
Batting coach, Ella, seemed almost pleased to lose this wicket, which was soon explicable when her brother The CliMAX-Kid, Nat Gregory, strode confidently to the middle. An arrogant MAXimum from his first ball announced the Kid’s arrival and the score cruised up to 20 by the end of Elson’s over. Ella called her time-out, feeling ready to test the quality of Catherine’s batting line up.
Catherine seemed a little naïve in sending cheapest CliMAX player (and usually an umpire) Bunny Baldwin to bat with Tom Crofts. Forgetting his age, non-striker Bunny called the agile Crofts for a quick single, but then realised his own legs were not moving, despite good intent. He changed his call to “no” and Crofts was stranded in the middle of the pitch when the throw arrived at the wicketkeeper. Crofts was gone and Bunny had his tail between his legs in remorse. Now ever time Catherine’s bowlers had appealed for a wicket, the umpires turned them down, but Ella’s bowlers had no such problem. Home advantage or cursed bad luck on the roll of a dice for Catherine we do not like to say, but first Bunny was given run-out on a tight line call, then Edwards was given out from the leg spin of Ducky Clarkson with the ball brushing the bottom and going through to the keeper (that’s caught out in CliMAX). Total confusion took control of Catherine’s batters, exemplified by Crofts and Coote whose misunderstandings led to run-outs.
Nick Herbert came back from Australia to bowl for Ella and produced sweet outswing at pace to induce edges from Rich Bryan and Sam Elson. Even CliMAX hero, Jack Edge was mesmerised and found a way to be run out for 4. Ace-wicketkeeper with pretentions to bat came in at number 10 and his own approach to batting in CliMAX. He struck a MAXimum and then to the pleasure of Catherine repeated struck out successfully next ball. The score shot to 110 and Catherine had leapt in to the lead. Catherine took her option of a time-out immediately. Whether it was a quiet word in Catherine’s ear from the umpire/scorer/game designer Peter Gregory or that she is an instinctive tactical genius is left to your judgement, but surely it was right to put the pressure back on Ella’s batters having got her nose a long way in front.
Now, a great advantage of CliMAX over traditional cricket is the way the game has a result at any stage should the game be cut short. Outdoors, the English weather is likely to disrupt play, but indoors it is more likely that a mother wishes to get back for her supper. And so it was on 17th September 2014. The gastric call was too great and Claire Jeal announced the game must end in 5 minutes. And so it was that Ella’s experienced pairing of Baker and The Kid were left to cook something up in an over of so. Catherine pulled out another ace from her pack with all-rounder Mike Cupper. He was to bowl and it took him just 3 balls to separate this dangerous pair. He found a way through Baker’s technique and bowled him for 150 splendid runs.
Now the pressure shifted onto The CliMAX-Kid who has repaid his coaches investment time over time in similar circumstances,………….. but this time he only found one more boundary before being skittled by the irrepressible Cupper. As dark drew in and Claire’s mug was emptied, Ella knew it was do or die and she sent in Nick Herbert to join Ever Ready Freddie Rawlings. Herbert knows only one way, but his expansive drive let him down and he was the third to be sent back to the hutch bowled for a golden duck.
Last chance saloon or what? Ben Pigott raced to the crease to take advantage of a few balls left before end of play would be called. At that appointed hour there would be one more delivery and of course, even Ella’s batters would have a chance to win - a MAXimum or extra would keep the game alive with another delivery and so on. Ten runs were scored, seven by Pigott and three more by Rawlings when final hooter sounded. Now Sam Coote the senior ran in in the knowledge he would win the CliMAX of the season if he could hold his nerve, avoid and extra (wide, no-ball or bye) or MAXimum. A last roll of the dice and a noise as Pigott flailed wildly at a ball outside off, trying to heave it over midwicket for one glorious MAXimum. “Howzat” yelled Coote Senior and a groan from Ella as the eyes turned on the umpire. (A two was rolled) “Out” stated Peter and Ella’s score dropped back to zero. Catherine chortled gleefully, “I knew all along I would win!”
Not everyone can stand the excitement of CliMAX, but if you think you have what it takes, contact us through this link. [Click here to send a message to the CliMAX designer stating how you would like to be involved].
Queen Dee-Throned
Jasmin, a junior beat all-comers to victory in the CliMAX-Fete Championships at St James Church Fete Chipping Campden today Saturday 5th July 2014. She beat The Queen of CliMAX, last years CliMAX-Fete winner, Kerry Bridgewater into second place with her massive total 1114 in her first experience of CliMAX
Kerry came with a later run to usurp early pace setter, the new vicar Craig Bishop, with a total of 136. She seemed less happy with her second place prize - another box of Celebrations - than Jasmin did with her two autographed photographs of the England Cricket Team.
For a full tournament report click on the picture of the new Princess of CliMAX - Jasmin.
Kerry came with a later run to usurp early pace setter, the new vicar Craig Bishop, with a total of 136. She seemed less happy with her second place prize - another box of Celebrations - than Jasmin did with her two autographed photographs of the England Cricket Team.
For a full tournament report click on the picture of the new Princess of CliMAX - Jasmin.
Yorkshire or Gloucestershire - where will you be?
2 million flock to Yorkshire for the Tour de France, whilst the others are expected in Gloucestershire for the second CliMAX-Fete tournament which starts today at 2pm in the Vicarage Gardens of Chipping Campden.
CliMAX inventor promises a new feature this year with the chance to bowl as well as bat. “You cannot win as a bowler, but you can stop your rivals and improve your chances when you bat.” Peter Gregory added that he predicts this will build some intense rivalry into the completion with family members and friends pitting their wits against one another. …. But will anyone compete with the master (or mistress) tactician Kerry The Queen of CliMAX? By 5pm we will know!
CliMAX inventor promises a new feature this year with the chance to bowl as well as bat. “You cannot win as a bowler, but you can stop your rivals and improve your chances when you bat.” Peter Gregory added that he predicts this will build some intense rivalry into the completion with family members and friends pitting their wits against one another. …. But will anyone compete with the master (or mistress) tactician Kerry The Queen of CliMAX? By 5pm we will know!
CliMAX-Kid promises boost to the economy
It will not surprise you to learn that the boy that became synonymous with CliMAX, has made a late run in his Civil Engineering studies at University of Portsmouth and predictably timed it to perfection;
“I may not have worked hard 1st and 2nd year but I am happy to say after hard work and dragging myself to the library I am graduating with First class honours,” says the CliMAX-Kid on his eagerly followed Facebook Page.
Victory in CliMAX does not necessarily depend on what you do in the game early on, as both teams have a chance to win until the last scheduled delivery of the last over. To some degree University courses are similar. Making the most of Freshers’ Week, drinking your way through the first year or sleeping in the library throughout the second is soon forgotten when you graduate with “First Class” against your name.
Well done to our First Class CliMAX-Kid from the CliMAX-Community!
Now, The Kid just needs to find his way into the right job and he’ll have the recession defeated in no time. [Prestigious employers and Head Hunters may contact The CliMAX-Kid’s agent by completing the form at ‘Contact Us’ and we (The Kid’s agent) will pass on serious offers.]
“I may not have worked hard 1st and 2nd year but I am happy to say after hard work and dragging myself to the library I am graduating with First class honours,” says the CliMAX-Kid on his eagerly followed Facebook Page.
Victory in CliMAX does not necessarily depend on what you do in the game early on, as both teams have a chance to win until the last scheduled delivery of the last over. To some degree University courses are similar. Making the most of Freshers’ Week, drinking your way through the first year or sleeping in the library throughout the second is soon forgotten when you graduate with “First Class” against your name.
Well done to our First Class CliMAX-Kid from the CliMAX-Community!
Now, The Kid just needs to find his way into the right job and he’ll have the recession defeated in no time. [Prestigious employers and Head Hunters may contact The CliMAX-Kid’s agent by completing the form at ‘Contact Us’ and we (The Kid’s agent) will pass on serious offers.]
“Of course I will win”
An exclusive interview with the Queen of CliMAX, Kerry Bridge(over troubled)water, for the CliMAXcricket website produced some stunning answers.
Your CliMAX reported started by taking The Queen back to her victory in the inaugural CliMAX-Fete in September 2014, asking her in what way her life had changed since the victory. Discomforted by the disdainful silence the timid but cheeky reporter followed it up with, “Are you fit to compete in CliMAX-Fete then?” With rare honesty for a celebrity, Kerry admitted she is a couple of pounds heavier now, but was quick to blame this on a box of chocolates that she took as spoils. She admitted that these Celebrations had gone to her middle whilst victory had certainly gone to her head.
Dealing with an area of concern for the large fan base of The Queen of CliMAX, Kerry was next asked if training had been going to schedule? The fans will be impressed that she went jogging just today in readiness and “my fitness schedule is prepared….” It is not clear whether The Queen has actually embarked on that programme yet and there is only two weeks for her and her opponents to get themselves in shape.
However, the connoisseurs of CliMAX will remember that it was more mental fitness that led to Kerry’s victory over all-comers at the St James Church Fete last year. Timing her run to perfection she stepped to the plate with pure aggression and no sign of fear right at the last and stole success from under the nose of The Gladiator Simon Boylan. So our reporter thought to probe The Queen for any new tactical approaches to CliMAX-Fete that we might see in 2014? The Queen boldly told him, “My tactic for this summer is merely to win.” She added a message for other likely competitors, “Opponents can have a go - but stand little chance against me. They need to understand that victory will be mine - again!”
I guess it was hardly surprising that she completed the interview with oodles of arrogance when our reporter asked her if she really expected to win CliMAX-Fete in the Vicarage Garden, Chipping Campden on Saturday 5th June 2014? ………“Of course, I will win!”
Your CliMAX reported started by taking The Queen back to her victory in the inaugural CliMAX-Fete in September 2014, asking her in what way her life had changed since the victory. Discomforted by the disdainful silence the timid but cheeky reporter followed it up with, “Are you fit to compete in CliMAX-Fete then?” With rare honesty for a celebrity, Kerry admitted she is a couple of pounds heavier now, but was quick to blame this on a box of chocolates that she took as spoils. She admitted that these Celebrations had gone to her middle whilst victory had certainly gone to her head.
Dealing with an area of concern for the large fan base of The Queen of CliMAX, Kerry was next asked if training had been going to schedule? The fans will be impressed that she went jogging just today in readiness and “my fitness schedule is prepared….” It is not clear whether The Queen has actually embarked on that programme yet and there is only two weeks for her and her opponents to get themselves in shape.
However, the connoisseurs of CliMAX will remember that it was more mental fitness that led to Kerry’s victory over all-comers at the St James Church Fete last year. Timing her run to perfection she stepped to the plate with pure aggression and no sign of fear right at the last and stole success from under the nose of The Gladiator Simon Boylan. So our reporter thought to probe The Queen for any new tactical approaches to CliMAX-Fete that we might see in 2014? The Queen boldly told him, “My tactic for this summer is merely to win.” She added a message for other likely competitors, “Opponents can have a go - but stand little chance against me. They need to understand that victory will be mine - again!”
I guess it was hardly surprising that she completed the interview with oodles of arrogance when our reporter asked her if she really expected to win CliMAX-Fete in the Vicarage Garden, Chipping Campden on Saturday 5th June 2014? ………“Of course, I will win!”
CliMAX-Fete date
With the eagerly awaited World Cup (football) underway, it may be a surprise to some to hear that a select band of sports aficionados have their eyes fixed on a far more important and imminent event.
Soccer may have become known as the Beautiful Game, perhaps due to the way that World Cup Hosts have played the game, but there is a game that could be known as the "Beautiful Finish". Soccer, like other sports, tends more often to end disappointingly. The result seems inevitable a long way off and players become frustrated and fans lose interest, sometimes to the extent that great hordes of them leave stadia before the end, despite the absence of melodic strains from the metaphorical obese feminine form.
So knowledge that CliMAX will feature once more at the St James Church fete has those in the know salivating in anticipation! CliMAX-Fete was launched on 21st September 2013 in the beautiful church of Chipping Campden and this year on Saturday 5th July 2014 CliMAX-Board and its modification will be wheeled out for the fete that will be held in the idyllic Vicarage Gardens.
Of course there will be many other attractions – bottle stall, tombola, face painting, bouncy castle and variations of the treasure hunt – but for sure the crowd will be clamouring around the CliMAX gazebo waiting for their chance to roll the dice and build an unbeatable score.
Will Queen of CliMAX Kerry Bridgewater, who stole first prize from Simon the Gladiator after latter was first to record a kiloMAX (1000 runs) in CliMAX-fete history (read about it now), be rolling for glory this year?
Will Martin Bridgewater actually finish with any runs at all and beat his abysmal record of 2013?
Who will win?.............. Will it be YOU?
Will you cope with the excitement of playing a game that produces an opportunity to win until the very last roll?
Soccer may have become known as the Beautiful Game, perhaps due to the way that World Cup Hosts have played the game, but there is a game that could be known as the "Beautiful Finish". Soccer, like other sports, tends more often to end disappointingly. The result seems inevitable a long way off and players become frustrated and fans lose interest, sometimes to the extent that great hordes of them leave stadia before the end, despite the absence of melodic strains from the metaphorical obese feminine form.
So knowledge that CliMAX will feature once more at the St James Church fete has those in the know salivating in anticipation! CliMAX-Fete was launched on 21st September 2013 in the beautiful church of Chipping Campden and this year on Saturday 5th July 2014 CliMAX-Board and its modification will be wheeled out for the fete that will be held in the idyllic Vicarage Gardens.
Of course there will be many other attractions – bottle stall, tombola, face painting, bouncy castle and variations of the treasure hunt – but for sure the crowd will be clamouring around the CliMAX gazebo waiting for their chance to roll the dice and build an unbeatable score.
Will Queen of CliMAX Kerry Bridgewater, who stole first prize from Simon the Gladiator after latter was first to record a kiloMAX (1000 runs) in CliMAX-fete history (read about it now), be rolling for glory this year?
Will Martin Bridgewater actually finish with any runs at all and beat his abysmal record of 2013?
Who will win?.............. Will it be YOU?
Will you cope with the excitement of playing a game that produces an opportunity to win until the very last roll?
Quiet winter to follow CliMAX of Giants
The New Yubby Giants are thought to have drifted off into a long sleep at the sound of The Merry Minstrell G-odd at the 2013 Giant Trophies Evening last week. Silverware was passed round but most finished back in the stronghold of The CliMAX-Kid. However, Heather on Accounts, Hicksy-Lix and The Face were not to leave empty handed. Click here for an account fo the Awards Evening or click on the Merry Minstrell and hear "Road of Campden" and its subliminal message to any wavering giants. With apologies to Ralph McDon'Tell.
CliMAX-Fete launched in beautiful Cotswold Church
Just how many ways are there to CliMAX? On Saturday 21 September, CliMAX-Fete was launched in the beautiful Church of St James Chipping Campden. CliMAX-Board was simplified making it more appropriate for a non-cricketing audience, but The Class of 2011 was on display to allow the participants a chance to see how they might progress their CliMACTIC experience.
Click here to read a report of the lauch of CliMAX-Fete.
Click here to read a report of the lauch of CliMAX-Fete.
No CliMAX for Banbury
Banbury Bowl Out
CliMAX inventor Peter L Gregory learnt his cricket at Banbury Cricket Club where he played from 1976 to 2004 (with just a few years off in the 1990s). He has a soft spot for the Club and was rooting for them today in their pursuit of The ECB National t20 Trophy. They were to play Wimbledon in the semi-final at the Kia Oval, but after hours of rain delays managed just 7 overs of batting before being forced to decide the match by a bowl out. The lost this, a most unsatisfactory way to decide the outcome. Nevertheless, massive congratulations go to Banbury CC, who play in the Home Counties Premier League, for going so far in such a touch competition.
Banbury CC have been given a chance to try CliMAX, but as yet have not taken up that chance. Through CliMAX cricketers learn to play at a greater intensity or level of pressure throughout the whole game. It also challenges players to think outside the box and come up with new solutions to win games. Almost certainly CliMAX experience would have helped Banbury prepare better for this Finals Day which produced new challenges as well as frustrations.
CliMAX itself would have been a better option for the ECB for this tournament. Seven overs of play would have been plenty to get a result in CliMAX. In fact, one ball is all that is required in a rain affected match. This is obviously better than a bowl out which is a totally different game to the one that Banbury started off playing at the Kia Oval.
But CliMAX is still an option for Banbury, ECB or another club or player. Contact us if you require more information or encouragement to get started.
Banbury CC have been given a chance to try CliMAX, but as yet have not taken up that chance. Through CliMAX cricketers learn to play at a greater intensity or level of pressure throughout the whole game. It also challenges players to think outside the box and come up with new solutions to win games. Almost certainly CliMAX experience would have helped Banbury prepare better for this Finals Day which produced new challenges as well as frustrations.
CliMAX itself would have been a better option for the ECB for this tournament. Seven overs of play would have been plenty to get a result in CliMAX. In fact, one ball is all that is required in a rain affected match. This is obviously better than a bowl out which is a totally different game to the one that Banbury started off playing at the Kia Oval.
But CliMAX is still an option for Banbury, ECB or another club or player. Contact us if you require more information or encouragement to get started.
Chance to Shine
Lydia Greenway gets off mark for England ladies
Over 60 girls might have started a journey towards their own CliM-ASHES on Tuesday 10 September in the Cotswolds. A spark of interest in cricket had been ignited by Helen Gregory, Teacher at Chipping Campden School and mother of the The CliMAX-Kid (Nathaniel) in the last year of two, such that when Ashes winning cricketers Lydia Greenway and Beth Morgan announced they would come and do a day’s coaching at the school, the response was overwhelming. Previously coached girls enjoyed sessions during lesson time and an amazing 63 turned up after school for more drills and thrills. A handful could not be shaken off even after all that and went on to Blockley Cricket Club for more practice.
The challenge for Chipping Campden School and North Cotswolds Young Cricketers is to build on this enthusiastic start and produce regular coaching sessions leading to competitive cricket for girls in the Cotswolds in the near future. Maybe CliMAX rules will prove helpful as it provides Peak Excitement for Cricket Lovers and guarantees thrilling games that maintain interest due to possible and match winning opportunities for players throughout the whole match. Maybe the eagerly anticipated first CliM-ASHES series will be between England and Australia ladies teams - an interesting twist?
Listen to the interview of Ashes winning Lydia Greenway by clicking on her photograph.
The challenge for Chipping Campden School and North Cotswolds Young Cricketers is to build on this enthusiastic start and produce regular coaching sessions leading to competitive cricket for girls in the Cotswolds in the near future. Maybe CliMAX rules will prove helpful as it provides Peak Excitement for Cricket Lovers and guarantees thrilling games that maintain interest due to possible and match winning opportunities for players throughout the whole match. Maybe the eagerly anticipated first CliM-ASHES series will be between England and Australia ladies teams - an interesting twist?
Listen to the interview of Ashes winning Lydia Greenway by clicking on her photograph.
New images on CliMAXcricket.weebly.com
Is this The Face? Click on his butt to find out
A number of new photographs are published on these webpages today. Take a look at the seam bowling techniques of Makin the Mighty and Tommo the Tall in The Technical Gallery.
The CliMAX-Kid has refreshed look to his own page, but will it be one for keeps?
And The Face is perhaps no more than a ghost on his page (click on his butt to see more).
All these photographs were taken by 8 year old Ella Gregory - Well done Ella!
The CliMAX-Kid has refreshed look to his own page, but will it be one for keeps?
And The Face is perhaps no more than a ghost on his page (click on his butt to see more).
All these photographs were taken by 8 year old Ella Gregory - Well done Ella!
Battle of Ebrington Hill
Surly and bad tempered, The New Yubby Giants 2013
Can you imagine the carnage as The Un-wenches of The Lenches think to take Ebrington Hill from the resident New Yubby Giants on The 31st day of the eight month of the third year of G-odd? The day will be etched in the history of mankind, but will it be erased from the History Books of Giants (as sold by Rhino's on-line book stores)? Read it before it removed at this link - The Battle of Ebrington Hill.
Every picture tells a story
Rowington Cricket Club Score Box
Click on the Score Box if you want to read which team scored 220 for 2 chasing 218 and who made 138 not out.
Duckie in Hurry
Camp Hill skipper keeps his wrist firm as Giant Duckie yearns to be back in The Yubby
Giants don’t like to come out in the rain. They fear it will make them shrink. Cider, though fluid, is not a danger to them and may entice them out of cracks and crevices of their home at
The Ebrington Arms by careful preparation of dry surfaces on which they may plunder runs, demolish wickets and generally humiliate mortals.
Biologists have not been able to establish how giants reproduce and several academic theses have pointed to asexual replication, though immortality makes the whole messy business redundant. Heterosexual cricketers might have been perturbed to be pitted against a team from Camp Hill, but these giants were seemingly unconcerned and even brought out a couple or more of gay shirts for the occasion.
Follow the link to the match report to find out whether The New Yubby Giants found their way back to The Ebrington Arms before there huge frames or spirits were dampened by drizzle or deluge.
The Ebrington Arms by careful preparation of dry surfaces on which they may plunder runs, demolish wickets and generally humiliate mortals.
Biologists have not been able to establish how giants reproduce and several academic theses have pointed to asexual replication, though immortality makes the whole messy business redundant. Heterosexual cricketers might have been perturbed to be pitted against a team from Camp Hill, but these giants were seemingly unconcerned and even brought out a couple or more of gay shirts for the occasion.
Follow the link to the match report to find out whether The New Yubby Giants found their way back to The Ebrington Arms before there huge frames or spirits were dampened by drizzle or deluge.
What could entice The Giants to leave the Shire?
It requires sunshine and a beautiful destination to lure The New Yubby Giants away from their home at The Ebrington Arms in Campdenshire. They found both at Winchcombe on Sunday. Browse their holiday snaps that currently reside at the top of The Grounds Gallery.
No Giant to be seen at Fete
Duckie - a giant amongst giants
What made The Giants leave the safety of The Shire this weekend? Did they find sporting challenge to amuse themselves? And were they gatecrashers of the wedding banquet? Is any of this relevant to the Cotswold Hill League?
Answers may be found on the Match Report Page.
Answers may be found on the Match Report Page.
Giants meet WoodenTops - twice
When Hicksy-Lix dived to his right and clung on to a low slip catch from the pace bowling of The CliMAX-Kid last Saturday, The WoodenTops (Woodbourne CC) innings was over. All out for 118, The WoodenTops had been restricted to a below par score on consecutive weekends in their back to back fixture with The Yubby Giants. The week before they were inserted on a damp but drying wicket and had the worst of the batting conditions when scraping 141 runs in almost 45 overs. This weekend they capitulated following brutal batting on a scorching hot day at Ebrington.
In the first fixture, the wickets were shared between The Yubby Giants, but Dan Cross followed match winning four-fer against The Lenches with three for 40 against these WoodenTops. Hicksy-Lix took over as opening bat from absent Super Sopper Sippy and with The Face of CliMAX scored all the necessary runs in a 146 run partnership.
Read all the details of how The Yubby Giants followed up on this 9 wicket win when The WoodenTops visited Ebrington last Saturday on the Match Report Page and then cast your vote for the Man-of-the-Match
In the first fixture, the wickets were shared between The Yubby Giants, but Dan Cross followed match winning four-fer against The Lenches with three for 40 against these WoodenTops. Hicksy-Lix took over as opening bat from absent Super Sopper Sippy and with The Face of CliMAX scored all the necessary runs in a 146 run partnership.
Read all the details of how The Yubby Giants followed up on this 9 wicket win when The WoodenTops visited Ebrington last Saturday on the Match Report Page and then cast your vote for the Man-of-the-Match
Yubby Giants protect Golden Egg
Rumour: There have been one or more golden eggs recently laid by a golden goose at Ebrington. But before you consider climbing the beanstalk and attempting to make off with these precious items, be warned there are a number of giants who protect them fiercely. You will certainly have a fight on your hands as Tanworth and Camphill CC found to their peril this weekend. Read more about it by clicking here to go to Yubby Match Reports. Click on the central image if you want information to plan your attack on the presumed location of the eggs. Click on the egg itself, if you want to know the potential gain of a successful attack.
CliMAX Caption Competition
Win a ticket to see your CliMAX heroes performing at Yubby in the near future!
The prize will be awarded for the wittiest caption to go with this photograph. Judges will look for the caption that produces peak excitement for cricket lovers and the decision of the CliMAX-committee will be final. Suitable entries may be published on the CliMAX website.
Click on the photograph and enter your details (only to be used to contact you if you win). Type your caption in the comment box and submit.
The prize will be awarded for the wittiest caption to go with this photograph. Judges will look for the caption that produces peak excitement for cricket lovers and the decision of the CliMAX-committee will be final. Suitable entries may be published on the CliMAX website.
Click on the photograph and enter your details (only to be used to contact you if you win). Type your caption in the comment box and submit.
Bloody nose at Painswick
The view from Painswick Cricket Club takes some beating - as does their team. View a profile of this ground in Gloucestershire on our Gallery of English Cricket Grounds courtesy of photographs by Heather Sipthorp and Pete Malkin.
Was it The Face of CliMAX or MegaMAX Harber who came out on the winning side? Read more about the National Village Cup clash between Painswick and Yubby on our match report page or an alternative version of events by Hicksy-Lix on Play Cricket. The scoreboard is also available at Play Cricket.
Was it The Face of CliMAX or MegaMAX Harber who came out on the winning side? Read more about the National Village Cup clash between Painswick and Yubby on our match report page or an alternative version of events by Hicksy-Lix on Play Cricket. The scoreboard is also available at Play Cricket.
Colourful clash
Rouse sees red
Tommo produced the all round performance and Sixfer was unexpected batter of the day at Manor Road on Saturday. But was this enough to turn the tables on high flying Bidford upon Avon CC? Read about it on The Yubby Match Reports Page.
Find out why Bidford's main bat, Rouse, saw red, but their rabbit needs to sign up for a CliMAX team soon.
Find out why Bidford's main bat, Rouse, saw red, but their rabbit needs to sign up for a CliMAX team soon.
Room for Chambers
Sunny days at Yubby - Bring 'em on!
Yubby are praying for the weather to brighten up so that the Manor Ground can dry up in time to take on table topping Bidford upon Avon this Saturday 1st June 2013. Even a resounding victory will not allow Yubby to overtake Bidford who have played four games and won all of them so far this season.
Yubby welcome back Jon Chambers after an extended winter break. Click here to see JCs potential.
If you care to find out how Yubby got on before they went to the Yubby Pubby last Sunday read Hicksy-Lix heart rendingly honest account on play-cricket.com.
This coming Sunday, Yubby must take on Painswick CC, the home of the most famous CliMAX cricketer of all time: James Harber who in the Hatherly and Reddings CliMAX-Sixes in 2010 scored a megaMAX sequence and became the first and only batter to accumulate one million runs. Like so many Yubby players his grounding with CliMAX has helped him towards great achievements in traditional cricket - last year he won the prestigious Painswick Player of the Year Award. Yubby beware!
Yubby welcome back Jon Chambers after an extended winter break. Click here to see JCs potential.
If you care to find out how Yubby got on before they went to the Yubby Pubby last Sunday read Hicksy-Lix heart rendingly honest account on play-cricket.com.
This coming Sunday, Yubby must take on Painswick CC, the home of the most famous CliMAX cricketer of all time: James Harber who in the Hatherly and Reddings CliMAX-Sixes in 2010 scored a megaMAX sequence and became the first and only batter to accumulate one million runs. Like so many Yubby players his grounding with CliMAX has helped him towards great achievements in traditional cricket - last year he won the prestigious Painswick Player of the Year Award. Yubby beware!
CliMAX inventor still alive and kicking
Skeletor in full flight
The CliMAX-community are relieved to learn that despite turning 50 this year, the games inventor can still make a mark on traditional cricket. Batting in the lower order he scored 23 vital runs, before taking 4 for 16 in 8 overs and took two catches to keep Exhall and Wixford under pressure throughout their Cherwell League match on Saturday.
Read what the local sheep thought about it - click here
Read what the local sheep thought about it - click here
No Kid’in…..You’re kidding!
Yubby had to tackle their second round fixture in the Cricketer Village Cup without The CliMAX-Kid. The Kid averaged 93 with the bat for Yubby last year, though his one notable failure was in the Village Cup. He scored 126 in the first round this year against Coarse and Staunton, was miserly with the ball (9 overs for 23) when no other bowler went for less than 5 runs per over, and captained Yubby to a close but memorable victory.
How did the team cope without The Kid who was revising for exams? Click here………
How did the team cope without The Kid who was revising for exams? Click here………
Wet weather brings thoughts of CliMAX
With weekend weather wasting cricketing time, our CliMAX inventor spent time being interviewed on the advantages of CliMAX rules.
Click here and go to "Quotes and Interviews" page and read Peter L Gregory's thoughts.
Compile your response and send it to us at Contact Us and see your views published alongside.
If you want to learn more about CliMAX rules click here and find links to the You Tube video guide.
Click here and go to "Quotes and Interviews" page and read Peter L Gregory's thoughts.
Compile your response and send it to us at Contact Us and see your views published alongside.
If you want to learn more about CliMAX rules click here and find links to the You Tube video guide.
Catches win matches ?
The Face ?
Read the report of an exciting match - Yubby versus Coarse and Staunton - played on Sunday.
Was a century by The CliMAX-Kid enough to give Yubby victory.
Do you recognize the fielder pictured here? - drop or catch .... hero or villain.
Read all about it here.
Was a century by The CliMAX-Kid enough to give Yubby victory.
Do you recognize the fielder pictured here? - drop or catch .... hero or villain.
Read all about it here.
Smile taken off The Face
The Face had an enormous grin from ear to ear on Saturday 4th May during Yubby's first Cotswold Hills League Match. He snaffled four wickets in two magical overs and was eyeing up his name on the honours board when G-odd removed him from the attack after just two overs.
You can read all the match details on our webpage dedicated to the exploits of CliMAX cricketers playing for Yubby this season by clicking on The Face's smug mug shot on the left.
You can read all the match details on our webpage dedicated to the exploits of CliMAX cricketers playing for Yubby this season by clicking on The Face's smug mug shot on the left.
Mouth-watering appetizer
The CliMAX 2013 season is underway, but with snow ‘crisp and even’, it was CliMAX-Board that was taken out of the cupboard when Ella Gregory asked to play against Catherine Jeal. The responsibility of managing a CliMAX team seemed a bit much to Catherine who had only once played cricket before. However she was reassured that the result might be determined by the roll of a dice and that everything would be explained during the CiMATCH for which game designer Peter L Gregory would umpire and score.
The managers selected their teams with a degree of uncertainty, except for Ella’s determination to have brother Nat ‘The CliMAX-Kid’ in her squad. Somehow she also secured services of Tom ‘Duckie’ Clarkson and thus had two all-rounders versus Catherine’s one – Mike Cupper. Experience of manager Ella and the balance of her six man team meant Ella was the bookie’s favourite for the eagerly anticipated contest of six 6-ball overs.
Ella sent out Duckie with Ben ‘Piglet’ Pigott to open the batting having won the roll to determine who would bat first. She immediately drew on the ‘hitting’ tactics card and stamped her intent to humiliate the Jeal team. First ball flew out of the park for a MAXimum and if that was not enough of a thrill to start with, Duckie hit the next two with similar effect. So 2013 opened with a kiloMAX sequence and poor Catherine looked aghast as Ella’s team rattled up 1113 from the first four balls. But CliMAX turns in a moment and with Ella instructing Piglet to play with similar attacking intent, he missed that last ball of the over from Sam Rawlings and was clean bowled. Catherine was looking happier, when she found out that Ella’s score had plummeted to a round zero.
Confidence can go a long way in sport and Catherine reached for the card of Tom Grundy and declared he would bowl the next over. Duckie was fortuitously run out first ball of this the second over, which seemed the only way he would be dismissed, then Sam Coote was caught by ace-fielder Adman Webb next delivery and Sam Ellison lasted only one ball, bowled by Grundy. The CliMAX-Kid came to the crease to see off the rest of Grundy’s over and squeezed four runs from it too.
Still Ella instructed her batters to hit out and for nearly two overs this paid off. Brad Wrench and The Kid cleared the boundary for MAXima and the score had moved to 44 when Adman prepared to bowl his last delivery. The groan was audible throughout the house, as Wrench was extracted by a straight one, which was deemed LBW. An over to go and Ella realised her team had no runs on the board in recognition of their attacking adventure.
Now, novice or not, Catherine had kept Cupper up her sleeve to bowl the last over and this looked decisive as he removed the danger-man (or do I mean danger-Kid). Once again the fielding prowess of Adman was required, this time to have Nat Gregory caught for 26. Duckie was brought back to the crease to join Piglet once again. MAXimum followed MAXimum and the score was past 100 and still Ella cried “attack for all your worth". Now Duckie is worth £260,000 and so much can be expected, but on this occasion Cupper was his match. He found the perfect reply and bowled Duckie, leaving Ella’s team one ball to build a total. Wrench could not find that MAXimum to start a rescue sequence and so the innings ended with Ella downcast – her team had totalled zero!
Now the tactics of CliMAX were becoming clearer to Catherine and she stated in interviews between innings that her batters must look to avoid losing too many wickets. Correct you are Catherine....... but let’s see how her team went about it.
Rawlings and Grundy made a solid opening partnership and after a flurry of attacking shots Catherine instructed them to play a little more reserved but not to totally 'shut up the shop'. Star bowlers Gregory and Clarkson were seen off and Piglet looked innocuous until his 6th ball and with the score on 43 he had Rawlings caught by The CliMAX-Kid. This was the chink that Ella had been looking for and she set about Jack Sexton in the next over with fast bowler Wrench. Grundy could not shield Sexton for long enough and Wrench had his man for a duck.
Grundy faced the last over of the innings with Adman knowing they just needed one run and then to avoid being out. Perhaps it was a lack of pressure that lead to a lapse in concentration, but ‘the wall’ of defense that Grundy had to this moment shown was scaled and Sam Ellison nipped him out first delivery. JJ Rudge must have had something else on his mind, as he scooped up an easy catch to Piglet off the next ball. Suddenly what seemed a walk in the park for Catherine’s team was more like a trek in the Himalayas. At such times you need a little skill, but not without a cool head and it was Cupper that demonstrated all of that finding a single off his first ball. Now survival was the order of the day for Adman. With fielders crowding the bat like vultures, Adman squeezed one past and took two runs. Next he nicked one to third man and cleverly took three. This put Cupper on strike. Cupper was unmoveable. Resolute defense saw off the Ellison threat and secured a maiden victory for Catherine Jeal.
Catherine should be congratulated for a great first performance but Ella Gregory must surely go back to the drawing board and work out different tactics that trying to smash everything out of the park.
Nevertheless, this was a mouth-watering appetizer to the 2013 season of CliMAX. We hope you get involved.
27 March 2013
The managers selected their teams with a degree of uncertainty, except for Ella’s determination to have brother Nat ‘The CliMAX-Kid’ in her squad. Somehow she also secured services of Tom ‘Duckie’ Clarkson and thus had two all-rounders versus Catherine’s one – Mike Cupper. Experience of manager Ella and the balance of her six man team meant Ella was the bookie’s favourite for the eagerly anticipated contest of six 6-ball overs.
Ella sent out Duckie with Ben ‘Piglet’ Pigott to open the batting having won the roll to determine who would bat first. She immediately drew on the ‘hitting’ tactics card and stamped her intent to humiliate the Jeal team. First ball flew out of the park for a MAXimum and if that was not enough of a thrill to start with, Duckie hit the next two with similar effect. So 2013 opened with a kiloMAX sequence and poor Catherine looked aghast as Ella’s team rattled up 1113 from the first four balls. But CliMAX turns in a moment and with Ella instructing Piglet to play with similar attacking intent, he missed that last ball of the over from Sam Rawlings and was clean bowled. Catherine was looking happier, when she found out that Ella’s score had plummeted to a round zero.
Confidence can go a long way in sport and Catherine reached for the card of Tom Grundy and declared he would bowl the next over. Duckie was fortuitously run out first ball of this the second over, which seemed the only way he would be dismissed, then Sam Coote was caught by ace-fielder Adman Webb next delivery and Sam Ellison lasted only one ball, bowled by Grundy. The CliMAX-Kid came to the crease to see off the rest of Grundy’s over and squeezed four runs from it too.
Still Ella instructed her batters to hit out and for nearly two overs this paid off. Brad Wrench and The Kid cleared the boundary for MAXima and the score had moved to 44 when Adman prepared to bowl his last delivery. The groan was audible throughout the house, as Wrench was extracted by a straight one, which was deemed LBW. An over to go and Ella realised her team had no runs on the board in recognition of their attacking adventure.
Now, novice or not, Catherine had kept Cupper up her sleeve to bowl the last over and this looked decisive as he removed the danger-man (or do I mean danger-Kid). Once again the fielding prowess of Adman was required, this time to have Nat Gregory caught for 26. Duckie was brought back to the crease to join Piglet once again. MAXimum followed MAXimum and the score was past 100 and still Ella cried “attack for all your worth". Now Duckie is worth £260,000 and so much can be expected, but on this occasion Cupper was his match. He found the perfect reply and bowled Duckie, leaving Ella’s team one ball to build a total. Wrench could not find that MAXimum to start a rescue sequence and so the innings ended with Ella downcast – her team had totalled zero!
Now the tactics of CliMAX were becoming clearer to Catherine and she stated in interviews between innings that her batters must look to avoid losing too many wickets. Correct you are Catherine....... but let’s see how her team went about it.
Rawlings and Grundy made a solid opening partnership and after a flurry of attacking shots Catherine instructed them to play a little more reserved but not to totally 'shut up the shop'. Star bowlers Gregory and Clarkson were seen off and Piglet looked innocuous until his 6th ball and with the score on 43 he had Rawlings caught by The CliMAX-Kid. This was the chink that Ella had been looking for and she set about Jack Sexton in the next over with fast bowler Wrench. Grundy could not shield Sexton for long enough and Wrench had his man for a duck.
Grundy faced the last over of the innings with Adman knowing they just needed one run and then to avoid being out. Perhaps it was a lack of pressure that lead to a lapse in concentration, but ‘the wall’ of defense that Grundy had to this moment shown was scaled and Sam Ellison nipped him out first delivery. JJ Rudge must have had something else on his mind, as he scooped up an easy catch to Piglet off the next ball. Suddenly what seemed a walk in the park for Catherine’s team was more like a trek in the Himalayas. At such times you need a little skill, but not without a cool head and it was Cupper that demonstrated all of that finding a single off his first ball. Now survival was the order of the day for Adman. With fielders crowding the bat like vultures, Adman squeezed one past and took two runs. Next he nicked one to third man and cleverly took three. This put Cupper on strike. Cupper was unmoveable. Resolute defense saw off the Ellison threat and secured a maiden victory for Catherine Jeal.
Catherine should be congratulated for a great first performance but Ella Gregory must surely go back to the drawing board and work out different tactics that trying to smash everything out of the park.
Nevertheless, this was a mouth-watering appetizer to the 2013 season of CliMAX. We hope you get involved.
27 March 2013
Helping you CliMAX - The secret's out!
With loads of you desperate to get started with CliMAX, the current CliMAX-Community have come right out of the closet and published the rules on this website. To make things even easier the game's inventor has produced a series of video clips explaining how it all works on You Tube.
Go to CliMAX-Rules and learn all about it.
Contact us if you want advice ....... and please let us know how you get on
Go to CliMAX-Rules and learn all about it.
Contact us if you want advice ....... and please let us know how you get on
Why couldn't the doctors find the balls for CliMAX?
Perhaps it would have required a urologist - not a rectal surgeon
A bunch of 22 doctors had the chance to CliMAX for the first time, but turned it down!
An explanation for his mystery can be found in a report of a recent match played between the GPs and Consultants of Warwickshire.
An explanation for his mystery can be found in a report of a recent match played between the GPs and Consultants of Warwickshire.
CliMATES Clinch Cup
CliMAX inventor Peter L Gregory received the League winners cup at the Cotswold Hills League Presentations evening at Bretforton Cricket Club on Friday 28 September 2012 on behalf of Ebrington Cricket Club.
The CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory received the batting award, scoring more than any one else in 7 divisions which covers 75 teams. His massive contribution to Ebrington's success was 855 runs at an average of 105. His aggressive approach to batting has been fostered through CliMAX and the Ebrington squad comprises CliMAX-Originals and The Class of 2011.
The CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory received the batting award, scoring more than any one else in 7 divisions which covers 75 teams. His massive contribution to Ebrington's success was 855 runs at an average of 105. His aggressive approach to batting has been fostered through CliMAX and the Ebrington squad comprises CliMAX-Originals and The Class of 2011.
CliMAX to Ken's Cricketing Career
Giant of local cricket, Ken Smith, presented the 2012 awards to members of the Cotswold Hills League winning club Ebrington on Friday 21 September at The Ebrington Arms. Ken played his last game just a few years ago and since then has concentrated his efforts on producing the best surface to play cricket in the Cotswolds. As umpire and then scorer he has continued to contribute to the game that he clearly loves. His satisfaction at Ebrington's recent league success was clear to see as he presented a series of cups to deserved players. Click here to see who took the honours for 2012.
Sixfer makes Appealers Squeal
CliMATCH report of Sunday 3 September - click here
Epic battle between Squealer's Appealers and Sixfer's Sloggers.
Epic battle between Squealer's Appealers and Sixfer's Sloggers.
Tell me what to do, Bunny!
The CliMAX-Kid on fire for Yubby
The CliMAX-Song echoed down the corridors of Kenilworth Wardens last night, as Yubby celebrated a victory in the Cotswold Hills Cricket League. Promotion ensures that Division 2 teams will have a chance to play at the home of CliMAX in 2013. Division 3 teams and others disappointed not to have this opportunity should contact us (club fixture secretary) for Sunday or midweek matches, preferably in the CliMAX format.
With Blockley unable to raise a team for the Brian Gee Trophy match against Yubby today, we see a recurring pattern that suggests Sunday cricket has lost its appeal for all but a few. CliMAX offers a shorter more intense version that provides cricket lovers with peak excitement and both teams a chance to win until the last schedules ball. Hence it maintains interest of all players even when there is a mismatch in skills between the teams. Adopting CliMAX on Sundays would invigorate cricket and bring new and young players, so much needed for the future of the game.
Sunday 2 September 2012
With Blockley unable to raise a team for the Brian Gee Trophy match against Yubby today, we see a recurring pattern that suggests Sunday cricket has lost its appeal for all but a few. CliMAX offers a shorter more intense version that provides cricket lovers with peak excitement and both teams a chance to win until the last schedules ball. Hence it maintains interest of all players even when there is a mismatch in skills between the teams. Adopting CliMAX on Sundays would invigorate cricket and bring new and young players, so much needed for the future of the game.
Sunday 2 September 2012
Cricket killed by rain
Large Black Sheet fails to save cricket
What if cricket had moved with the times and adopted the incredible new format - CliMAX. It only takes one ball to get a result in CliMAX?
At Ebrington on Saturday 45 overs were completed, there were 276 deliveries in four or so hours, but the result is "abandonded". Classic -CliMAX has seen 200 deliveries in exactly 2 hours each time it has been played so far. Let’s go CliMAX and make sport the winner once more – not the ****ing rain!
At Ebrington on Saturday 45 overs were completed, there were 276 deliveries in four or so hours, but the result is "abandonded". Classic -CliMAX has seen 200 deliveries in exactly 2 hours each time it has been played so far. Let’s go CliMAX and make sport the winner once more – not the ****ing rain!
A-Grey-Able
Sweep - Nice one Duckie!
Despite no experience of CliMAX, Richard Grey showed he was able to master the Cricklade bowling attack on Sunday 19th August at Manor Ground Ebrington. Thrown into open against their fearsome pace attack, he batted calmly and was even able to ease young Sam Groves into men's cricket with words of wisdom to his opening partner. Duckie Clarkson brought a whole new range of shots to the innings and the CliMAX Original struck three MAXima in his excellent 68. Squealer (25) and Super Sopper Sippy (39*) weighed in with useful contributions but it was Grey who provided the foundation for a substantial 40 over total of 262 with 76 invaluable runs.
Skeletor and Beefy Groves ripped out the upper order of Cricklade who found themselves three wickets down for 14 after 5 overs. Despite a magnificent 86 from P Dewsbury, the Yubby total was never threatened and the game fizzled out with Cricklade on 173 for 7. Another one sided game left the Cricklade team vulnerable to being told how much better the game of CliMAX would have been, producing an opportunity for either team to win until the last scheduled delivery, when they reflected with their opposition at the Ebrington Arms after the game. Perhaps they might request this format, if they make the long route up from Wiltshire next year?
Skeletor and Beefy Groves ripped out the upper order of Cricklade who found themselves three wickets down for 14 after 5 overs. Despite a magnificent 86 from P Dewsbury, the Yubby total was never threatened and the game fizzled out with Cricklade on 173 for 7. Another one sided game left the Cricklade team vulnerable to being told how much better the game of CliMAX would have been, producing an opportunity for either team to win until the last scheduled delivery, when they reflected with their opposition at the Ebrington Arms after the game. Perhaps they might request this format, if they make the long route up from Wiltshire next year?
Peak excitement for Perkins
Mike Perkins - A Class Act
The CliMAX community are privileged to have amongst The Class of 2011, Mike Perkins of The Avonsiders, who recently completed the incredible feat of 5000 wickets, excluding two crucial ones at the end of the Marrows innings at Ascot Park last year when Mike turned out for The Rest of the World. Saving 122 runs, he more or less wrestled the crown of World Champions away from The Marrows. Clearly these two wickets are considered too important to count amongst the other 5000 that he has painstakingly recorded, but regardless, the 2012 season is the one in which our congratulations go out to the much revered slow left armer.
Well done Perky!
Well done Perky!
Wry Grin on The Face
The Face of CliMAX gave an unconvincing smile as he walked from the field of play at Blockley on Saturday. He had produced an incredible partnership with Pee Pee Parmenter when Yubby's backs were to the wall. His lack of total satisfaction could only be accounted by being caught out with his score on 97. No such errors from Pee Pee who was all over Blockley with 102 not out. The two turned 43 for 4 to 226 for 5 and allowed Yubby to accumulate 286 for 6 in 45 overs.
You can read how Blockley responded by clicking here.
You can read how Blockley responded by clicking here.
Panthers CliMAX to season
Ever since a bunch of youthful Stratford players (and Mike Perkins) gathered under the guise of “The Rest of The World” at Alscot Park to play CliMAX world champions The Marrows last year, the fortunes of this club have turned around. The Stratford upon Avon Herald reports the exploits of CliMAX-Original Tom Grundy as stand in captain last Saturday when the Panthers defeated Water Orton to be within sight of the top of the Birmingham League Second Division. Sean Morris valued highly in the Class of 2011 after his matching winning innings against the Marrows was the oldest Panther at 23 years and was supported in the final run chase by Alex Fisher whose attacking flare might be put down to the influence of CliMAX on his game. Tom Grundy took four wickets and his brother Jack was also successful with the ball. The Farmer of CliMAX Sam Douthwaite scored an unbeaten 69 for Stratford seconds and reveals the value of visualisation on your cricket – as long as it is CliMAX you visualise!
Kid’s carnage along Campden Road
Hicksy-Lix hammers hundred
Surely a league record for Yubby, they raced to 342 for 2 declared in 42 overs on Saturday. The CliMAX-Kid brought up a century in 66 balls, but was eventually run-out for 139. Hicky-Lix shared a partnership of 134 and had just completed his century from 84 balls when the declaration came. Read how Stanway fared in the run chase by clicking here.
Cotswold Herald report is shown on webpage of the The CliMAX-Kid.
Cotswold Herald report is shown on webpage of the The CliMAX-Kid.
Brilliant Bomber bowling returns
Pubby Yubby
From the Class of 2011, Dan Beasley had his first bowl of 2012 on Sunday 4th August. His four for 22 destroyed the Martins who failed to chase down 216 in Sundays rain reduced 25 over game against Yubby. The CliMAX-Kid past 50 for the 12th time this season and produced a massive stand with Duckie Clarkson (48). Despite a total lack of opportunity to CliMAX this season the CliMAX-Originals are still dominating local cricket, but the question must be asked, “Can they continue this form without being able to top up their skills in the CliMAX setting?”
Once again Yubby’s league team were rained off on Saturday. Having reached 122 for 1 from 17 overs against Bretforton, the heavens opened. Understandably, Bretforton were not keen to wait to see if the rain would pass and the pitch would dry and umpire Bunny Baldwin was persuaded to be of like mind. So it was Pubby Yubby yet again!
Click here for Martins Match Report
Once again Yubby’s league team were rained off on Saturday. Having reached 122 for 1 from 17 overs against Bretforton, the heavens opened. Understandably, Bretforton were not keen to wait to see if the rain would pass and the pitch would dry and umpire Bunny Baldwin was persuaded to be of like mind. So it was Pubby Yubby yet again!
Click here for Martins Match Report
Global Cooling effect on CliMATEs
Local music festival Global Gathering at Long Marston may have cost Yubby’s unbeaten run in the Cotswold Hills League. Some CliMATEs disappointed with the lack of excitement offered by traditional cricket rules, opted for the thrills of late night music and others, despite greater commitment to Yubby’s cricket challenge, had their travel plans to Tanworth & Camphill thwarted by Global traffic through Stratford-upon-Avon. Their late arrival at the Camphill ground led to Secret Skipper forfeiting the toss and allowing Tanworth first use of good batting surface on the first sunny Saturday afternoon for Yubby for eight weeks.
Irresistible until last Saturday, the hot team of Division 3, looked tense and never warmed up before or during this match. Wickets proved unusually hard to come by, particularly with run-outs and stumpings missed and catches going down. Nevertheless, there was no excuse for Yubby not knocking off 80 runs at less than 3 an over with 7 wickets left when The CliMAX-Kid was out with another half century to his name.
Yubby lost this battle by 41 runs and these CliMATEs will have to warm up by next Saturday if they are to give Bretforton a run for their money in their next fixture to be played at the Campden Road Ground, which has not seen any cricket since the last ‘underwater’ fixture against Blockley on 26 June.
Sat 28 July 2012
Irresistible until last Saturday, the hot team of Division 3, looked tense and never warmed up before or during this match. Wickets proved unusually hard to come by, particularly with run-outs and stumpings missed and catches going down. Nevertheless, there was no excuse for Yubby not knocking off 80 runs at less than 3 an over with 7 wickets left when The CliMAX-Kid was out with another half century to his name.
Yubby lost this battle by 41 runs and these CliMATEs will have to warm up by next Saturday if they are to give Bretforton a run for their money in their next fixture to be played at the Campden Road Ground, which has not seen any cricket since the last ‘underwater’ fixture against Blockley on 26 June.
Sat 28 July 2012
Is CliMAX the newest Olympic sport?
Click on the image to let us know when you could play CliMAX
The newest sport to add a gold medal competition to the period from 27 July to 12 August 2012 is CliMAX. Any CliMATCHes during this period are eligible to contribute and the player who reaches the highest combined CliMAX points will be crowned World Champion. One CliMAX point is awarded for each run saved by a bowler taking a wicket, one point for each run saved by a fielder taking a catch or contributing to a run out and of course one point for every run scored in an unbeaten partnership.
CliMATCHES pit one team against another with thrilling games that maintain interest by possible involvement of all players throughout, because either team can win until the last scheduled delivery. However this new Olympic competition allows individual players to pit themselves against opponents and players in their own team. Of course, in keeping with the CliMAX spirit, the winner of the gold medal will only be clear after the last delivery of the last game to finish on 12 August 2012.
How to enter: - Just contact us and tell us when you would like to play and we will try to fix CliMATCHES around your preferences. Clearly we need enough players to put on a CliMATCH. Bring a team, bring a mate, or just come yourself.
Time running out – Click on the Gold Medal - Do it NOW!
CliMATCHES pit one team against another with thrilling games that maintain interest by possible involvement of all players throughout, because either team can win until the last scheduled delivery. However this new Olympic competition allows individual players to pit themselves against opponents and players in their own team. Of course, in keeping with the CliMAX spirit, the winner of the gold medal will only be clear after the last delivery of the last game to finish on 12 August 2012.
How to enter: - Just contact us and tell us when you would like to play and we will try to fix CliMATCHES around your preferences. Clearly we need enough players to put on a CliMATCH. Bring a team, bring a mate, or just come yourself.
Time running out – Click on the Gold Medal - Do it NOW!
Sunshine, Showers and Shambles
Click on photograph of Ashorne CC for full match report
Ashorne and Morton Morrell CC did a sterling job to get their picturesque pitch ready for play today 30th June 2012 and for once the sun shone and the showers were quite brief. Puddled areas of the outfield were roped off and the game was underway on time. Tea also was taken on time, but by then the game was over. This was not CliMAX rules and so when Yubby had score 84, one more than Ashorne all the players took off their whites, (some) showered, packed their kit bags and took a very pleasant tea.
Had it been CliMAX, they would have had to nervously play to the last scheduled delivery to see which of these unevenly matched team was the winner. Another 47 overs of cricket would have been enjoyed. Cricket skills would improve for playing more and players would become able to handle the pressure situations CliMAX generates.
Had it been CliMAX, they would have had to nervously play to the last scheduled delivery to see which of these unevenly matched team was the winner. Another 47 overs of cricket would have been enjoyed. Cricket skills would improve for playing more and players would become able to handle the pressure situations CliMAX generates.
Do the Panthers have the balls for CliMAX?
The Smile or The Farmer of CliMAX ?
Sam 'Boris' Douthwaite snook into 'The Class of 2011' due to his formidable contribution of witty one-liners about CliMAX on Facebook. He has now treated the CliMAX-Community to a full length interview which you can read on the QUOTES AND INTERVIEW webpage.
Apart from naming himself The Farmer of CliMAX, he throws in a challenge to Iain Lythall and other Panthers to show the world they have the guts for CliMAX and will play in a CliMATCH that The Farmer himself intends to captain.
Click on Sam's smile to find a few action shots of The Farmer of CliMAX.
Apart from naming himself The Farmer of CliMAX, he throws in a challenge to Iain Lythall and other Panthers to show the world they have the guts for CliMAX and will play in a CliMATCH that The Farmer himself intends to captain.
Click on Sam's smile to find a few action shots of The Farmer of CliMAX.
Has CliMAX found its body?
Everyone knows The Face of CliMAX is Josh Collins, but it has never been obvious who The Body is, but in a recent interview with our roving reporter, Mike Brown threw his hat in the ring. Not only does Mike reveal a close attachment to The Face, but he admits to an extensive upper body programme. Read all the details on the Quotes and Interviews page.
YSP features kiloMAX sequence
On line sports news website - Your Sport Pages - features The CliMAX-Kid hitting one of the first ever kiloMAX sequence. Big Willy Green achieved the first in Presidents Day CliMAX-Sixes in 2010 and Nat Gregory followed a few days later. The video has been available since on You Tube but is uploaded to YSP with a brief commentry on the shortcomings of traditional cricket compared to CliMAX.
The Kid claims the Headlines
The CliMAX-Kid steered Yubby to victory at their damp Campden Road Ground on Saturday 9th June. He took three wickets for 22 runs including young Dan Moore (35), who threatened more than Blockley's more established Dan-gerous Knight. Yubby were set only 113 to win in 55 overs and raced to victory in the 18th over with The Kid on 64 not out.
Once just a Kid, now Man...of the Match, Nat Gregory joins Ever Ready Freddie Rawlings and James Hicks-Lix, who might be called 'Never Ready' as he has been unavailable for the last two weeks, in the battle for Yubby's premier all-rounder.
Read every detail - just click on the image of the CliMAX-Kid receiving his award.
Once just a Kid, now Man...of the Match, Nat Gregory joins Ever Ready Freddie Rawlings and James Hicks-Lix, who might be called 'Never Ready' as he has been unavailable for the last two weeks, in the battle for Yubby's premier all-rounder.
Read every detail - just click on the image of the CliMAX-Kid receiving his award.
CliMACTIC Five-fer Grundy
Read Tom Grundy's interview after his phenomenal Five-fer experience for the Panthers. Click on his "boy band looks".
Peak excitement or what?
Peak excitement or what?
Class of 2011 recognised in Warwickshire
Jack Grundy - balanced approach to wicket
CliMAX-Original Jack Grundy has been a regular for Warwickshire 2nd XI in the last few weeks. Jack played for Rest of the World against the World Champions The Marrows at Alscott Park in 2011 and must be considered a bargain at £80,000 in CliMAX-Board 'The Class of 2011'.
Well done, Jack. Show 'em what a CliMAXer can do.
Well done, Jack. Show 'em what a CliMAXer can do.
Stanway stunned
Acrobat Sippy catches last man
Safe catching by Six-fer (times three), Naughts and Skeletor and acrobatic wicket keeping ensured Stanway were kept pegged back in a game that lasted just 64 of the scheduled 90 overs. Yubby collected 22 points in a one-sided game that would have been more exciting in CliMAX format. Yubby made the most of damp overhead conditions with accurate swing bowling. Batters Sippy and The CliMAX-Kid proved there to be no demons in the pitch and The Kid put his training in CliMAX to good use with a MAXimum to win the match. [Click here for full match report]
Saturday 2 June 2012
Saturday 2 June 2012
Unlikely CliMAX at Yubby
Duckie has to wait to bat
Yubby were dead and buried having been set a below par 206 in 40 overs by nomadic cricketers Martins last Sunday. They were 126 for 9 and Martins were celebrating when Duckie Clarkson came to the wicket. Yubby have learnt to keep some of the best to last from CliMAX where it’s how you are doing at the end of the game that counts and in his current form Duckie is the certainly the best. He opened the season with a magnificent ton at Bredon and followed it with a half century against a quality attack at Dumbleton. The half century against Martins’ bowlers who were wilting in the heat was therefore not altogether a surprise, but the admirable support from S-Cullen Cross Bones, who has fewer chances to show his batting skills, was. With 28 from Squealer Cullen the pair scored 81 and Yubby had won with 4 overs to spare. [Full report]
Sunday 27 May 2012
Sunday 27 May 2012
Scintillating Century for CliMAX-Kid
Century - and he's just a Kid!
The CliMAX-Kid showed no mercy on a strong Bretforton bowling line up on Saturday. He rushed to a 76 ball century and almost singlehandedly prepared the platform for the Yubby lower order to take the total to a respectable 232 for 9.
Six-fer struck with the ball, as he had done six times in 2011 in the same fixture and like Hicksy-Lix bagged three scalps, which left Bret 57 runs short. More details are given here (click).
26 May 2012
Six-fer struck with the ball, as he had done six times in 2011 in the same fixture and like Hicksy-Lix bagged three scalps, which left Bret 57 runs short. More details are given here (click).
26 May 2012
Dan Cross brought back for Bretforton
Dan Cross considers a bowling job well done at Staunton
CliMAX-Original Dan Cross was rested on Saturday during Ebrington’s easy win against Tamworth & Camphill, but showed his value in the Yorkshire Tea National Village Cup on Sunday. He was 7th bowler used by young captain, CliMAX’s own Kid, Nat Gregory. The Kid kept his ace card up his short sleeve of his new Ebrington cricket jumper until the 28th over and Cross did not disappoint. He bowled through to the end of the Corse and Staunton innings and took four of the six wickets to fall and conceded only 47 runs in 7 overs when the slog was on. Cross is pencilled in this Saturday for the Cotswold Hill League match at Bretforton along with Rory Coupland and Jim Sipthorp.
24 May 2012
24 May 2012
Groves loves CliMAX
MAXimum value from Jack Groves
Jack Groves loves CliMAX, despite underperforming during his experiences to date. Hence he must be considered of greater value than the £120,000 stated on his business card for "The Class of 2011". His true worth was there to see at Corse and Staunton on Sunday 20 May 2012. He strode to the crease with Yubby in a spot of bother – 71 for 4 after 12 overs. On a pitch without steep bounce, he was secure on his front foot and confidently swung through the line despatching the ball to the boundary 10 times of which no less than 5 were MAXimums. His conMtribution of 71 runs came in 15 overs (less than 50 balls) and put Yubby in the hunt for an unlikely victory. You can read more about the match by clicking here.
A case for CliMAX
Ebrington disposed of Tamworth and Camphill in short time in the Cotswold Hill League match on 19th May 2012. Though 21 points were secured nearly 34 overs of cricket time were wasted by the out dated rules. CliMAX would have kept both teams interested until the scheduled end and no cricketing opportunity would have been neglected.
The CliMAX-Kid played a match winning innings - click on his image to get a full match report.
The CliMAX-Kid played a match winning innings - click on his image to get a full match report.
"Class of 2011" visit Corse and Staunton
The Class will be wearing new sweaters with CliMAX logo
Weather permitting some of the strongest ever CliMAX players gather tomorrow to play in the Yorkshire Tea National Village Cup at Corse at Staunton Playing Fields, Gloucestershire on Sunday 20 May. The CliMAX-Kid, The Face, Duckie, Ever Ready, Hicksy-Lix, G-odd, Pee-Pee and Jack Groves of “The Class of 2011” CliMAX-Originals join Sippy and Dan Cross in an awesome line up for Yubby in their first ever game in the competition.
You can now buy the set of Player Business Cards from the “Class of 2011” separate to CliMAX-Board from the Game Crafter website. Upgrade your original version of CliMAX-Board or exchange your cards of your heroes in the playground or pub.
You can now buy the set of Player Business Cards from the “Class of 2011” separate to CliMAX-Board from the Game Crafter website. Upgrade your original version of CliMAX-Board or exchange your cards of your heroes in the playground or pub.
Prominence of CliMAX
The start of a new line of leisure wear has just been released with the CliMAX logo embroidered in a prominent place. The logo appears opposite the Ebrington crest on the sleeveless pullovers designed for Ebrington Cricket Club.
“The Class of 2011” dominate 2012 proceedings
Click on Ever Ready Freddie to get the full account
Ever Ready Freddie Rawlings won the all-rounder award in Ebrington's winning start to the 2012 Cotswold Hills League campaign. His 30 helped Yubby eek out valuable runs in a total of 173 and then he removed both openers and the dangerous Matt Woods to finish with 3 for 16. Other £300,000 CliMAX-Originals Nat The CliMAX Kid Gregory and James Hicks-y-Lix scored half centuries and Paul 'bargain' Parmenter (£50,000) had the incredilble return of 10 overs 4 for 9. For a full report of the victory click on the picture of Ever Ready.
Another bargain is Sam Douthwaite at £50,000. His 69 for Stratford Avonsiders was top score, whilst 'The Class of 2011' contributed wickets by Tom Grundy and Michael Perkins in a rare victory over The Imps (click here for report). At London Road, Shipston Craig Robins scored a handy 22 against Exhall and Wixford in a low scoring Premier League game (click here for report)
Another bargain is Sam Douthwaite at £50,000. His 69 for Stratford Avonsiders was top score, whilst 'The Class of 2011' contributed wickets by Tom Grundy and Michael Perkins in a rare victory over The Imps (click here for report). At London Road, Shipston Craig Robins scored a handy 22 against Exhall and Wixford in a low scoring Premier League game (click here for report)
CliMAX-Board "The Class of 2011"
The Class of 2011 has arrived! The second edition of CliMAX-Board, the game that simulates the real thing using dice, is out! You can purchase it direct from the publisher in USA. Visit the Game Crafter website or if ordering from United Kingdom click here: - CliMAX Orders UK.
Read about the fantastic new edition of CliMAX-Board, that has may improvements on the original board game that came out in September 2010. The Class of 2011 features the players of that year.
Remember CliMAX-Board is made to your personal order, so you will not find it for sale in the shops.
Read about the fantastic new edition of CliMAX-Board, that has may improvements on the original board game that came out in September 2010. The Class of 2011 features the players of that year.
Remember CliMAX-Board is made to your personal order, so you will not find it for sale in the shops.
CliMAX Career Records
Follow the link to CliMAX statistics to see who heads the career batting and bowling records since CliMAX began in 2010. Is it The CliMAX-Kid or The Face of CliMAX? Find out.
CliMAX-Board - The second coming?
The CliMAX-Board designers are busy working on the second edition, which will feature the players who CliMAXed in 2011. The first edition was published in September 2010 and created a rush of interest as the 'must have' game for Christmas. Opportunities arise for those passionate about CliMAX to get involved in the design of the second edition, to create the files to upload to GameCrafter or to help with promoting and marketing CliMAX-Board v2. Contact us if you think you have something to offer this project.
CliMAVERAGES published
The Face - Top Bowler in 2011
At long last the 2011 CliMAX season is summarised and the statistics are available to scrutinise on the CliMAX website's Statistics page. Click the link to read how The Face and The Kid lived up to the pre-season hype and topped the bowling and batting tables respectively. Josh Collins - The Face of CliMAX - saved an incredible 1204 runs with wickets he took and Nat Gregory - The CliMAX-Kid - scored 12,733 runs including 22 MAXima and was involved in unbeaten partnerships that contributed 12,657 runs to his team's cause.
The CliMAX statistician now aims to combine 2010 with 2011 to produce career CliMAVERAGES for the 115 cricketers who have so far played this amazing new format. Keep a look out on these pages for first news of their publication.
The CliMAX statistician now aims to combine 2010 with 2011 to produce career CliMAVERAGES for the 115 cricketers who have so far played this amazing new format. Keep a look out on these pages for first news of their publication.
CliMAX-Originals collect all the awards
Reindeer asks "Tell me what to do, Bunny?"
The influence of CliMAX was clear to see at Ebrington Cricket Club's Annual Awards Dinner held at the newly extended and refurbished Ebrington Arms on Friday night. CliMAX-Originals collected all the awards:
Saturday Batting - Rob Sipthorp 335 runs at 35.5
Saturday Bowling - Paul Parmenter 22 wickets at 14.4
Sunday Batting - The Face of CliMAX Josh Collins 288 runs at 28.8
Sunday Bowling - The CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory 11 wickets at 12.8
The Most Improved Player - James Hicks
Players Player - James Hicks
Clubman - John Bunny Baldwin
The awards were presented by Joe Page, who after many years of invaluable work as Ebrington Fixture Secretary, handed over to Angie Clarkson. The boys are excited as to what Angie will bring to this role, though recognise her time will be limited having just opened the premier place for those looking to come and stay in the area and watch some CliMAX next season - Cherry Trees, Chipping Campden.
Photographs of the presentations of the awards can be seen by clicking here. Also featured in this gallery is the amazing Jon Chambers who amassed 376 runs in 3 innings at an average of 188. He, like The CliMAX-Kid was not eligible for a batting award as they did not have at least 10 innings in the season. Nat score 698 at an average of 97.1 in 9 innings on Sundays.
Chairman, Bunny Baldwin spoke eloquently before the presentation and is featured in the verses of the CliMAX-Song now getting regular hits on YouTube.
23 October 2011
Saturday Batting - Rob Sipthorp 335 runs at 35.5
Saturday Bowling - Paul Parmenter 22 wickets at 14.4
Sunday Batting - The Face of CliMAX Josh Collins 288 runs at 28.8
Sunday Bowling - The CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory 11 wickets at 12.8
The Most Improved Player - James Hicks
Players Player - James Hicks
Clubman - John Bunny Baldwin
The awards were presented by Joe Page, who after many years of invaluable work as Ebrington Fixture Secretary, handed over to Angie Clarkson. The boys are excited as to what Angie will bring to this role, though recognise her time will be limited having just opened the premier place for those looking to come and stay in the area and watch some CliMAX next season - Cherry Trees, Chipping Campden.
Photographs of the presentations of the awards can be seen by clicking here. Also featured in this gallery is the amazing Jon Chambers who amassed 376 runs in 3 innings at an average of 188. He, like The CliMAX-Kid was not eligible for a batting award as they did not have at least 10 innings in the season. Nat score 698 at an average of 97.1 in 9 innings on Sundays.
Chairman, Bunny Baldwin spoke eloquently before the presentation and is featured in the verses of the CliMAX-Song now getting regular hits on YouTube.
23 October 2011
CliMAX Song sing along
You can now sing along to the CliMAX song at YouTube
Warning - it is a little rude, so we advise you don't listen if you might be offended.
Warning - it is a little rude, so we advise you don't listen if you might be offended.
Sing for CliMAX
The words of the CliMAX song, which was given its first public airing at the Ebrington Friendly Fines Association on Saturday 10 September 2011 are made available for you to practice here.
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CliMAX-Kid turns it for Blockley
Click on Bunny Baldwin for Gallery
The annual fixture between Blockley and Ebrington is played in memory of much loved late Brian Gee who coached many of the cricketers now playing at the two clubs in their formative years. Despite lower league placement, Ebrington have won the Brian Gee Trophy on each occasion since it was first awarded after Brian’s premature death in 2004. With Ebrington’s cricket going from strength to strength since the introduction of CliMAX, Blockley feared being unable to provide suitable opposition and asked The CliMAX-Kid to play for them in the 2011 match. Nat Gregory had turned out for Blockley on a number of occasions, Sundays and midweek, this season and saw no harm in this.
Dan Knight, Blockley skipper also pulled back Sean Williams from retirement and his son, the young county star Darrell, to further boost his side. Sean opened and batted steadily, but Dan himself got off to a flying start with an exquisite cut from Peter Gregory on the very first ball. Two balls later Peter had his revenge, with a ball that hurried on to Knight, whose pull shot finished up in the hands of Tommo at mid-off. This brought Darrell to the crease and he was not to be moved till the 38th over when he had 111 runs to his name. Tommo removed Sean after drinks and this only brought in the CliMAX-Kid, who was at times circumspect, but always solid, in compiling 68 not out. Blockley had totalled 231 for 6 and James Hicks was again the most effective Ebrington bowler with 3 for 39.
Peter Gregory was asked to open the batting with Fred Rawlings and this provided 38 from 7 overs before Fred was bowled by Dan Cross for 28. Peter continue to work the ball around without giving a chance and was supported well by Hicks with 43. When Peter on 70 found Wizza on the midwicket the score was 163 and 79 were still needed from 12 overs. Wizza almost ran in too far, but a speculative hand above the head, was enough to give Dan Knight a 3rd wicket. Duckie Clarkson looked to be steering Ebrington to another victory, but the pressure mounted as wickets were lost at the other end. Liam Cullen and Adam Webb were run out and in the last over with 10 to win Clarkson (30) punched a back foot drive to mid-off where Knight had cleverly positioned himself 15 yards off the boundary. The catch by Knight secured a narrow victory for Blockley.
Bunny Baldwin was pleased to present the Brian Gee Trophy to Dan Knight and the Blockley team recognising the contribution CliMAX has now made to Blockley with the influence of The CliMAX-Kid who was to have a song in his honour at the Ebrington Fines Celebration last Saturday. A gallery of photographs of the match can be viewed by clicking here.
12 September 2011
Dan Knight, Blockley skipper also pulled back Sean Williams from retirement and his son, the young county star Darrell, to further boost his side. Sean opened and batted steadily, but Dan himself got off to a flying start with an exquisite cut from Peter Gregory on the very first ball. Two balls later Peter had his revenge, with a ball that hurried on to Knight, whose pull shot finished up in the hands of Tommo at mid-off. This brought Darrell to the crease and he was not to be moved till the 38th over when he had 111 runs to his name. Tommo removed Sean after drinks and this only brought in the CliMAX-Kid, who was at times circumspect, but always solid, in compiling 68 not out. Blockley had totalled 231 for 6 and James Hicks was again the most effective Ebrington bowler with 3 for 39.
Peter Gregory was asked to open the batting with Fred Rawlings and this provided 38 from 7 overs before Fred was bowled by Dan Cross for 28. Peter continue to work the ball around without giving a chance and was supported well by Hicks with 43. When Peter on 70 found Wizza on the midwicket the score was 163 and 79 were still needed from 12 overs. Wizza almost ran in too far, but a speculative hand above the head, was enough to give Dan Knight a 3rd wicket. Duckie Clarkson looked to be steering Ebrington to another victory, but the pressure mounted as wickets were lost at the other end. Liam Cullen and Adam Webb were run out and in the last over with 10 to win Clarkson (30) punched a back foot drive to mid-off where Knight had cleverly positioned himself 15 yards off the boundary. The catch by Knight secured a narrow victory for Blockley.
Bunny Baldwin was pleased to present the Brian Gee Trophy to Dan Knight and the Blockley team recognising the contribution CliMAX has now made to Blockley with the influence of The CliMAX-Kid who was to have a song in his honour at the Ebrington Fines Celebration last Saturday. A gallery of photographs of the match can be viewed by clicking here.
12 September 2011
Massive trophy for CliMAX champion
Haydn lifts large trophy
One of the six Marrows who won the CliMAX world championships held at Ebrington in June 2011, used this experience as a springboard to a fantastic season with Armitage Bridge in the Cedar Court Conference. As early as August 20, the Huddersfield Daily Examiner was reporting Armitage Bridge as the Champions and the club remains undefeated according to most recent league tables. Haydn Jones, from Harvey, Western Australia heads the club first team batting averages (64.7) and has accumulated over 900 runs with a chance to go past 1000 in the last league game of the season next weekend.
Haydn raised eyebrows due to way he was able to hit the ball RE-A-LLY hard during the CliMAX tournament in June and like many players has transferred these CliMAX skills to traditional cricket. He has contributed 3 centuries to Armitage Bridge. Haydn also showed the crowd at Ebrington he could bowl a heavy ball. Josh Keyte, wicketkeeper for the Marrows, wore one of these and has not been seen on a cricket pitch since. Armitage Bridge have appeared to been able to achieve their fantastic success without troubling Haydn's bowling arm too much - perhaps their wicketkeeper had a tip off and had a quiet word with the captain Paul Hamer.
Haydn raised eyebrows due to way he was able to hit the ball RE-A-LLY hard during the CliMAX tournament in June and like many players has transferred these CliMAX skills to traditional cricket. He has contributed 3 centuries to Armitage Bridge. Haydn also showed the crowd at Ebrington he could bowl a heavy ball. Josh Keyte, wicketkeeper for the Marrows, wore one of these and has not been seen on a cricket pitch since. Armitage Bridge have appeared to been able to achieve their fantastic success without troubling Haydn's bowling arm too much - perhaps their wicketkeeper had a tip off and had a quiet word with the captain Paul Hamer.
Sam conceals his excitement with CliMAX-Board
Conceived in England, produced in USA but played in home near Stratford, CliMAX-Board has provided excitement for Sam Douthwaite. He has been snapped by a fellow CliMAX-Original Alex Hughes holding CliMAX scoresheets and covered in business cards and the all important CliMAX-Board. His face tells the story of satisfaction of one who has successfully used is £1.5 million to secure a great team. But were Sam's tactical decisions as good as his purchases and did the dice land favourably for him? Our reporters will try to find out.....
With rain affecting cricket matches up and down the country this week, your club should consider purchasing CliMAX-Board so that you can get ahead of your rivals where the tactics of CliMAX are concerned. Purchase The Game of 2010 - click here.
With rain affecting cricket matches up and down the country this week, your club should consider purchasing CliMAX-Board so that you can get ahead of your rivals where the tactics of CliMAX are concerned. Purchase The Game of 2010 - click here.
Girls CliMAX too
Charlie brings a touch of glamour to CliMAX
Charlie Gregory made history yesterday (9 August 2011), becoming the first lady to compete in Classic CliMAX….and did she compete?
The CliMAX-Girl Charlie was told by The Face of CliMAX Josh Collins, who was captaining Yubby against the Cornerstone Cricketers that she would be behind the stumps after he had lost the toss and was asked to take the field first. Charlie had last donned the wicket-keeping gloves 4 years ago, aged 13 when she represented Warwickshire U14s girls cricket. She then gave up cricket to concentrate on dance, but later took up photography and it was this hobby that brought her back in touch with cricket. Understandably drawn by the excitement of CliMAX whilst taking shots for this website, she yearned to have another go. CliMAX proved to be all embracing and Charlie was selected after catching the eye of the The Face whilst taking a few throw-downs on the outfield last week.
Using borrowed kit, the ball seemed to go easily into the middle of The CliMAX-Girl’s gloves, so it was no surprise when she took a catch from Duckie Clarkson’s leg spin to give Yubby their first wicket. It was perhaps more remarkable that she followed this with a stumping off seamer Will Noble to remove the dangerous Dave Wood and then a leg side catch off the bottom of Bocock (this is a legal dismissal in CliMAX). The coup de gras, however, came when The CliMAX-Kid came to the crease for Cornerstone’s last realistic chance of overhauling Yubby’s time-out total of 1143. Brother Nat inside edged the first one onto his foot and then with only one over to go played a swish and miss to the next ball. Distraught The Kid hit his own pad with his bat in a fit of petulance, but Charlie spotted him overstepping, and in the twinkle of an eye had the bails off. The Kid was gone. Perhaps even the Kid saw the irony in this and maybe the grimace was really a smile!
Four victims – two catches and two stumpings – a job well done by the CliMAX-Girl.
Oh – Hicks-a-Lix and Ready Freddie? - To find out who came out on top click here.
The CliMAX-Girl Charlie was told by The Face of CliMAX Josh Collins, who was captaining Yubby against the Cornerstone Cricketers that she would be behind the stumps after he had lost the toss and was asked to take the field first. Charlie had last donned the wicket-keeping gloves 4 years ago, aged 13 when she represented Warwickshire U14s girls cricket. She then gave up cricket to concentrate on dance, but later took up photography and it was this hobby that brought her back in touch with cricket. Understandably drawn by the excitement of CliMAX whilst taking shots for this website, she yearned to have another go. CliMAX proved to be all embracing and Charlie was selected after catching the eye of the The Face whilst taking a few throw-downs on the outfield last week.
Using borrowed kit, the ball seemed to go easily into the middle of The CliMAX-Girl’s gloves, so it was no surprise when she took a catch from Duckie Clarkson’s leg spin to give Yubby their first wicket. It was perhaps more remarkable that she followed this with a stumping off seamer Will Noble to remove the dangerous Dave Wood and then a leg side catch off the bottom of Bocock (this is a legal dismissal in CliMAX). The coup de gras, however, came when The CliMAX-Kid came to the crease for Cornerstone’s last realistic chance of overhauling Yubby’s time-out total of 1143. Brother Nat inside edged the first one onto his foot and then with only one over to go played a swish and miss to the next ball. Distraught The Kid hit his own pad with his bat in a fit of petulance, but Charlie spotted him overstepping, and in the twinkle of an eye had the bails off. The Kid was gone. Perhaps even the Kid saw the irony in this and maybe the grimace was really a smile!
Four victims – two catches and two stumpings – a job well done by the CliMAX-Girl.
Oh – Hicks-a-Lix and Ready Freddie? - To find out who came out on top click here.
Hicks upstages Rawlings
James Hicks keeps his eye on the ball and Dan Beasley uses protection
CliMAX-Original James Hicks was determined not to be upstaged by Ready Freddie again and so scored a match winning half century for Ebrington against Martins on Sunday 7 August 2011. In two innings this weekend, Hicks has scored 108 without losing his wicket. Coming in today lower down the order he joined The CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory when 5 wickets were down chasing 219. The pair took about 16 over to knock off a partnership of about 130 with Gregory reaching 80 also not out.
They might have been chasing a more imposing total had Dan Beasley not taken two handy wickets earlier in the afternoon. Held back until after 20 overs by Josh ‘Mamba’ Collins (the captain), he continued the form he showed at Ilmington where he took 3 wickets with his right arm round the wicket exploding bombs. Batters beware - LBWs can pitch outside leg stump in CliMAX.
Both Beasley and Hicks will be performing on Tuesday night at the Campden Road Ground in perhaps the last evening CliMAX venture of the season. We suspect that Freddy will be Ready to outshine both and claim the headlines for himself once more. Be at Ebrington to watch the story unfold or read about it here on the CliMAX News page on Wednesday.
Sunday 7 August 2011
Also expect to see Jack Sixfer Sexton, Will Noble, Tommo, Jack Ashcroft, Jason Snuggs, Charlie Tyler, Charlie Gregory, Rory (keep your eye on the bowler) Coupland, Harry Righton, Sam Elson, Jonty Makin, Tim, Tom Frost, Adam Webb, Tom Clarkson, George Tyler, Sippy, Bunny, Peter Gregory, at least 5 from Cornerstone Cricket Academy, The Face of CliMAX and The CliMAX-Kid
They might have been chasing a more imposing total had Dan Beasley not taken two handy wickets earlier in the afternoon. Held back until after 20 overs by Josh ‘Mamba’ Collins (the captain), he continued the form he showed at Ilmington where he took 3 wickets with his right arm round the wicket exploding bombs. Batters beware - LBWs can pitch outside leg stump in CliMAX.
Both Beasley and Hicks will be performing on Tuesday night at the Campden Road Ground in perhaps the last evening CliMAX venture of the season. We suspect that Freddy will be Ready to outshine both and claim the headlines for himself once more. Be at Ebrington to watch the story unfold or read about it here on the CliMAX News page on Wednesday.
Sunday 7 August 2011
Also expect to see Jack Sixfer Sexton, Will Noble, Tommo, Jack Ashcroft, Jason Snuggs, Charlie Tyler, Charlie Gregory, Rory (keep your eye on the bowler) Coupland, Harry Righton, Sam Elson, Jonty Makin, Tim, Tom Frost, Adam Webb, Tom Clarkson, George Tyler, Sippy, Bunny, Peter Gregory, at least 5 from Cornerstone Cricket Academy, The Face of CliMAX and The CliMAX-Kid
Ready, Freddie, Go!
Fred Rawlings has sent out several strong messages to his captain that he is ready to bat higher in the order. His 50 from 15 balls at The Lenches showed he has the ability to destroy spin bowling and his fighting 50 at table topping Shipston was nearly enough to clinch victory for Ebrington a few weeks back. This CliMAX-Original made the most of his opportunity to open the batting at the Campden Road ground against Bretforton today scoring 67 in an unbeaten partnership with CliMAX-Original James Hicks. This produced a 10 wicket victory in which Freddie claimed the man-of-the match accolade with the tightest of bowling spells – 8 overs 2 wickets for only 10 runs. With this preparation Freddie will be a handful when we get back to the serious business of CliMAX on Tuesday. Be at the Campden Road Ground from 6 o’clock if you want to see how he gets on against Cornerstone Cricketers.
Saturday 6 August 2011
Saturday 6 August 2011
Beasley brings team to CliMAX
Dan Beasley in bowling action (James Hicks umpires in pads, P Gregory backs up and N Gregory fields)
Dan Beasley brings a team to CliMAX on Tuesday 9th August. His Cornerstone Cricketers will take on Yubby who will have two newcomers to CliMAX - Jack Ashcroft and Jason Snuggs. Peak excitement builds from 6pm at the Camden Road Ground, Ebrington. With nights drawing in, this may be the last evening CliMAX of 2011. DON'T MISS IT!
Cricket: Is it dead?
Ian Bell argues the ball was 'dead'
Ian Bell should have asked this question of the umpires before trotting off for his tea at test match yesterday. Let off by Indians, he got away with his error and came out to bat again afterwards. Rory Coupland was not treated with similar kindness in his first CliMAX outing. Though he might have been offered a reprieve too, this may not be in keeping with the ethos of CliMAX, where several rules produce a faster game in which the ball is rarely 'dead'.
Read what CliMAX offers the England team that seem destined to take over as No. 1 test team from India on our Coaches CliMAX page - click here.
Read what CliMAX offers the England team that seem destined to take over as No. 1 test team from India on our Coaches CliMAX page - click here.
Haydn hammers hundred in warm up
Haydn CliMAXing in June
Haydn Jones, of Western Australia, has gone from strength to strength since experiencing CliMAX on 26 June 2011. He narrowly missed out on a hard hitting double century for Drake's Huddersfield League team Armitage Bridge at the weekend. The Bridge boys are delighted as victory secured promotion to the Premier League for 2012. However Haydn just considered his innings of 189 a warm up for the next scheduled CliMATCH, which is on 9th August at the Campden Road, Ebrington and is the re-arranged fixture between Cornerstone Cricketers and Yubby.
If you can donate any old cricket balls to CliMAX, contact us.
If you can donate any old cricket balls to CliMAX, contact us.
Have you got the balls for CliMAX?
Read the match report of this CliMATCH played at Ebrington on Tuesday 26 July 2011 - click here
Hatrick Hicks hots up for CliMAX
Hicks - now he can bowl so fast
James Hicks was on fire following his successful tour to Barbados. He produced a devastating final burst rewarded by 5 wickets for 9 runs in three overs, to follow a miserly first change spell of 7 overs for 17. Hicks clearly knows how to produce a climax, steaming down the hill for the last over he clean bowled three of the Lenches batters in taking an amazing hatrick.
He appears to be a yard quicker than before his trip to the West Indies and bowled a consistent line and length which was finally rewarded with wickets. On top of the world after this, he told our CliMAX reporter, " I was just too good for them!"
Hicks, like some of his Ebrington colleague was obviously just using this game as practice for the second leg of the CliMAX duel, rescheduled for this Tuesday 26 th July, after a lunchtime down pour caused groundsman Ken Smith to call the game off last week.
The Marrows go into this leg 186 behind the Rest of The World, but with home advantage. Be at the Campden Road Ground, Ebrington to see how this CliMATCH unfolds Tuesday 6pm to 8pm.
He appears to be a yard quicker than before his trip to the West Indies and bowled a consistent line and length which was finally rewarded with wickets. On top of the world after this, he told our CliMAX reporter, " I was just too good for them!"
Hicks, like some of his Ebrington colleague was obviously just using this game as practice for the second leg of the CliMAX duel, rescheduled for this Tuesday 26 th July, after a lunchtime down pour caused groundsman Ken Smith to call the game off last week.
The Marrows go into this leg 186 behind the Rest of The World, but with home advantage. Be at the Campden Road Ground, Ebrington to see how this CliMATCH unfolds Tuesday 6pm to 8pm.
CliMAX-Original Callum cleans up
Callum Stewart captained Hatherley and Reddings to their victory in the Ebrington President's CliMAX-Sixes in 2010 and recently took a match winning 11 wickets in the Minor Counties match for Herefordshire as they beat Dorset. Dorset won the Minor County championship last year. Callum plays for Brockhampton in the Birmingham League this year. Unfortunately Minor Counties commitment prevented Callum bringing a side to the Ebrington President's CliMAX-Sixes on 26 June and now Marrows hold this trophy.
The next opportunity to experience CliMAX is Tuesday 19 July at 6pm at Ebrington.
The next opportunity to experience CliMAX is Tuesday 19 July at 6pm at Ebrington.
Perkins brings experience to CliMAX
Mike Perkins approaches the crease.
Mike Perkins of Avonsiders became the 100th player to experience CliMAX. He opened the bowling for the Rest of the World at Alscot Park in their eagerly anticipated CliMATCH with 'World Champions - The Marrows. Despite struggling with his line for the first two deliveries the wily fox snared George Tyler to send Marrows straight back to zero. Mark 'Mushy' Weston took advantage of the free hit following yet another wide, clearing the ropes for the evening's first MAXimum and promptly sent the next ball even further out of Alscot Park to bring up his 100 from just two legal deliveries. Mike Perkins figures of 1 for 115 from this over might make him favourite to be selected by the batting team for the final over of the innings, but at the time of going to press The Marrows have take their time-out and the score is 1122 from 4 overs. Liam 'Squealer' Cullen is also back in the hutch, but The Face of CliMAX -Josh Mamba Collins - has joined Mushy who completed a kiloMAX sequence off Peter Richards and is now 1284 not out.
News of the whole match: Read it here!
News of the whole match: Read it here!
Cornerstone Cricketers to CliMAX
CliMAX is coming thick and fast. Following on soon after the Alscot Park battle of the giants – Marrows versus Rest of The World – on Friday 15 July at 6.30pm, we have Ebrington challenged by Cornerstone Cricketers of Campden on Tuesday 19 July also at 6.30pm. CliMAX was launched in Ebrington in 2010 and the majority of the 40 games have been played on the Campden Road Ground, so it is likely that the Ebrington team will be full of CliMAX experience, whilst Cornerstone will be getting to grips with the new format for the first time. Be at Ebrington on Tuesday evening to see how they get on.
The Marrows take on Rest of the World at Alscot Park: CliMAX Classic
Alscot Park, formerly the home of Stratford Bards and now a cricket ground used by Stratford Cricket Club will host a battle of CliMAX giants on Friday 15 June 2011. Starting at 6.30pm, the current 'World Champions', The Marrows are challenged by a 'Rest of the World' team. The Rest of the World is to be managed by Will Noble and captained by CliMAX-Original Tom Grundy. The Marrows are led once more by the CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory and will be full of confidence following wins in the last two tournaments, which were in CliMAX-Sixes format. The Marrows overcame formidable opposition to win the Hatherley and Reddings CliMAX-Sixes last September, but more recently demolished all-comers at Ebrington President’s Day.
It is intended that the match on Friday will be Classic-CliMAX, which comprises teams of 11 with 2 playing substitutes and will be 10 overs of 10 balls per team with time-outs taken in the middle overs. This poses more tactical challenges for Grundy and Gregory who will need to think hard about batting order and when to take their time-outs. Substitutes will need to be used wisely and the biggest disaster will come if the captain finishes up with a weak bowler to bowl the last over.
The Marrows look likely to include The Face of CliMAX Josh ‘Mamba’ Collins, Fred Rawlings who has won twice with the Marrows already, Matt Spencer who hit the first ever kiloMAX sequence starting on the last scheduled delivery of an innings, Liam Cullen who is reliable wicket taker in CliMAX, George Tyler with useful CliMAX experience on Ebrington President’s Day and Charlie Tyler looking for his first CliMAX, Jack Groves a young all-rounder who looked promising at Ebrington CliMAX-Sixes, Olly Wright an exciting fast bowler from Banbury Cricket Club, Jack Six-fer Sexton, and CliMAX originals Adam Webb and Tom Frost.
Find Alscot Park at Atherstone On Stour, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 8BL
It is intended that the match on Friday will be Classic-CliMAX, which comprises teams of 11 with 2 playing substitutes and will be 10 overs of 10 balls per team with time-outs taken in the middle overs. This poses more tactical challenges for Grundy and Gregory who will need to think hard about batting order and when to take their time-outs. Substitutes will need to be used wisely and the biggest disaster will come if the captain finishes up with a weak bowler to bowl the last over.
The Marrows look likely to include The Face of CliMAX Josh ‘Mamba’ Collins, Fred Rawlings who has won twice with the Marrows already, Matt Spencer who hit the first ever kiloMAX sequence starting on the last scheduled delivery of an innings, Liam Cullen who is reliable wicket taker in CliMAX, George Tyler with useful CliMAX experience on Ebrington President’s Day and Charlie Tyler looking for his first CliMAX, Jack Groves a young all-rounder who looked promising at Ebrington CliMAX-Sixes, Olly Wright an exciting fast bowler from Banbury Cricket Club, Jack Six-fer Sexton, and CliMAX originals Adam Webb and Tom Frost.
Find Alscot Park at Atherstone On Stour, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 8BL
Hard hitting Hadyn benefits from CliMAX
Haydn finds secret to hard hitting
Australian cricketer Haydn Jones came to England this summer in the hope he would take his game to another level, but he wasn't banking on experiencing CliMAX and the impact that has on your traditional cricket skills. On Sunday 26 June 2011, Haydn was CliMAXing for the first time as part of the winning Marrows team in the Ebrington President's CliMAX-Sixes and within a fortnight was back in Yorkshire plundering an incredible 120 during just 12 overs of batting for Armitage Bridge. Remember in this quaint old form of the game maximums are only worth six.
The question remains: Will Hadyn share his secret when he gets back to Harvey, Western Australia next year?
The question remains: Will Hadyn share his secret when he gets back to Harvey, Western Australia next year?
CliMAX-Original dominates Carribean Cricket
Barbados bound Hicks (click on Hicks for more photos)
James Hicks, warmed up for a tour of Barbados, by playing CliMAX at Ebrington in the President's CliMAX-Sixes. The value is there to see as Hicks has combined bowling figures of 16 overs 5 wickets for 51 so far. News has just reached us of a half century by the all rounder who score 9 boundaries including two maximums.
Hicks was in on the concept of CliMAX from its launch in 2010 and played for the Marrows in both Hatherley and Reddings CliMAX-Sixes 2010 and Ebrington's CliMAX-Sixes on 26 June 2011. He can thus claim to be a World Champion and with his fellow Marrows, puts out a challenge to any cricketers who think they can take his team on to contact us.
Another CliMAX-Original, Sam Elson toured the Caribbean with Hicks and scored a handy 25 and took 4 wickets.
Hicks was in on the concept of CliMAX from its launch in 2010 and played for the Marrows in both Hatherley and Reddings CliMAX-Sixes 2010 and Ebrington's CliMAX-Sixes on 26 June 2011. He can thus claim to be a World Champion and with his fellow Marrows, puts out a challenge to any cricketers who think they can take his team on to contact us.
Another CliMAX-Original, Sam Elson toured the Caribbean with Hicks and scored a handy 25 and took 4 wickets.
Reflections
Click on the photo for match reports of CliMAX-Sixes
Click on the reflection in the sunglasses if you want to read the details of the CliMAX games on President's Day - Sunday 28 June 2010.
These webpages have seen a flurry of interest lately with over 100 visitors on 4 July and total of more than 1400 hits in the month to 8 July. CliMAX was again mentioned in the Gloucestershire Echo on 22 June 2011 and Stratford Herald reported the CliMAX-Sixes tournament on 7 July 2011.
These webpages have seen a flurry of interest lately with over 100 visitors on 4 July and total of more than 1400 hits in the month to 8 July. CliMAX was again mentioned in the Gloucestershire Echo on 22 June 2011 and Stratford Herald reported the CliMAX-Sixes tournament on 7 July 2011.
The Grant Trophy – Yubby versus Marrows
Sunday 26 June 2011
Yubby were sent in to bat in the baking midday sun by CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory. Pee Pee Parmenter, novice to CliMAX, checked out the rules with Peter L Gregory at square leg (umpire, scorer and CliMAX inventor), but made nothing useful from the information being caught by Fred Rawlings first ball of the day. This was a fantastic start for bowler Will Turner who was also experiencing CliMAX for the first time. The Face of CliMAX, Mamba Collins soon turned things around with 16 from five balls, but found the pace and bounce from ‘Hard Man’ Haydn Jones of Harvey, Western Australia too hot to handle. His stumps were shattered and he was soon trudging off to Yubby hutch.
Tommo was nudging and nurdling, but with the score on 11 was involved in a tragic run out with opener Bradders (Wrench). Undeterred, Bradders carried his bat and with two overs support from (s)Cullen Cross Bones they had the score move on to 22.
The CliMAX-Kid might have fallen foul of putting all his eggs in one basket, opting to open with Hard Man Haydn, but the gamble paid off. The pair could not be shifted by the Yubby attack. Hard Man eased into cricket with four hard struck MAXima and 56 not out in his first CliMAX venture, whilst veteran Nat (and still only a Kid!) cleared the ropes seven times including a kiloMAX sequence across the overs of Tommo and The Face. His score of 1165 took the Marrows to 1229 when Pee Pee ran into to bowl the last delivery. Haydn Jones might have eyed up the boundary ropes to add 100 to his total, but showed a wise head on a Hard Man and blocked it to ensure Yubby did not snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Keeper Keyte received the Grant Trophy from Bunny Baldwin and Peter L Gregory at the end of the proceedings.
Yubby were sent in to bat in the baking midday sun by CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory. Pee Pee Parmenter, novice to CliMAX, checked out the rules with Peter L Gregory at square leg (umpire, scorer and CliMAX inventor), but made nothing useful from the information being caught by Fred Rawlings first ball of the day. This was a fantastic start for bowler Will Turner who was also experiencing CliMAX for the first time. The Face of CliMAX, Mamba Collins soon turned things around with 16 from five balls, but found the pace and bounce from ‘Hard Man’ Haydn Jones of Harvey, Western Australia too hot to handle. His stumps were shattered and he was soon trudging off to Yubby hutch.
Tommo was nudging and nurdling, but with the score on 11 was involved in a tragic run out with opener Bradders (Wrench). Undeterred, Bradders carried his bat and with two overs support from (s)Cullen Cross Bones they had the score move on to 22.
The CliMAX-Kid might have fallen foul of putting all his eggs in one basket, opting to open with Hard Man Haydn, but the gamble paid off. The pair could not be shifted by the Yubby attack. Hard Man eased into cricket with four hard struck MAXima and 56 not out in his first CliMAX venture, whilst veteran Nat (and still only a Kid!) cleared the ropes seven times including a kiloMAX sequence across the overs of Tommo and The Face. His score of 1165 took the Marrows to 1229 when Pee Pee ran into to bowl the last delivery. Haydn Jones might have eyed up the boundary ropes to add 100 to his total, but showed a wise head on a Hard Man and blocked it to ensure Yubby did not snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Keeper Keyte received the Grant Trophy from Bunny Baldwin and Peter L Gregory at the end of the proceedings.
Champagne Moment
The knowing wink towards the camera tells us that Witters (James Whitmore) new all along that he was destined to win the much sought after TMS (Test Match Special) style award for the priceless moment of the day during the President's CliMAX-Sixes on Sunday. Flighty Keyte had produced his usual magic with the ball and in his first bowl of the day - and season actually- he removed two Yubby scalps in consecutive deliveries. However, Witters, who has scratched around for runs all season after scaring the pants off his own team mates by his hard hitting in pre-season nets, captured the hearts of the judges when embarking on a MAXima sequence. When the second MAXimum brought up a century, he acknowledged the adulation of the crowd by performing a new dance that can only be described as a 'one man Mexican wave'.
Well done Witters - don't drink it all at once, hic!
Find more pictures of Witters in action at the Yubby Gallery
Well done Witters - don't drink it all at once, hic!
Find more pictures of Witters in action at the Yubby Gallery
Kiss Kiss from CliMAX
Click on Mamba and find more photos of the Face of CliMAX
What better way to start to explore the galleries of photographs taken by Charlotte Gregory at Ebrington CC President's CliMAX-Sixes tournament than clicking on The Face of CliMAX Josh 'Mamba' Collins, here blowing kiss to all you adoring fans.
Click here to view the Gallery of the Team Yubby
Click here to view the Gallery of Team Marrows
Click here to view the Gallery of Team Super Kings
Ebrington President's CliMAX-Sixes - The Day in Pictures - Click here
Click here to view the Gallery of the Team Yubby
Click here to view the Gallery of Team Marrows
Click here to view the Gallery of Team Super Kings
Ebrington President's CliMAX-Sixes - The Day in Pictures - Click here
Marrows provide stuffing
Josh Keyte - A Marrow - receives the President's Trophy
The Marrows were emphatic winners of the President’s Trophy at Ebrington CliMAX-Sixes tournament on Sunday. The Marrows accumulated an incredible 12,673 points in their 4 games, which was massive compared to Yubby (150) and Super Kings (93), but the beauty of CliMAX is that either Yubby or Super Kings could still have won the tournament during the last match which they competed. This led to a nail biting finale in which Jack Groves, Ben Pigott and Rich Bryan hit 7 MAXima, though unfortunately not in the most beneficial sequence.
The crowd at the Ebrington Road ground were treated to 47 MAXima and 25 wickets during 60 overs of cricket. Batting only twice the CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory provided spectacular entertainment with 15 MAXima and in his first innings scored the season’s first kiloMAX sequence finishing 1,165 not out. With Australian Haydn Jones (56 not out from 11 balls) providing excellent support in his first CliMAX experience the curious on-lookers were quick to recognise Haydn ‘hits the ball RE-A-LLY hard’. The next time Jones and Gregory were batting they had a rescue act to perform with Josh Keyte and Will Turner back in the hutch by the second over. Despite hitting the ball RE-A-LLY hard, Haydn was content to take singles and keep the CliMAX-Kid on strike. Nat Gregory was at his most destructive and kept clearing the ropes, scoring 11,258.
However, the Marrows success was not purely based on batting supremacy; they took more wickets during the day than any other team and Josh Keyte led the way with an astonishing 4 wickets in just 4 overs, every bit living up to his CliMAX name – ‘Flighty Keyty’. Two wickets in consecutive balls in the opening salvo against Yubby could have won him the Champagne Moment, but he was pipped at the post by Witters (James Whitmore) who popped the cork for scored a hundred from just one ball and was finally rewarded for sheer effort in bat swinging.
The day was wonderfully punctuated by sandwiches courtesy of the Grant sisters, cream teas from Angie Clarkson, Bunny’s burgers and Sippy’s sausages. A big thanks to them all.
The lasting memory of Ebrington President’s CliMAX-Sixes was that the sun shone fiercely all day, such that Haydn Jones felt like he was at home in Western Australia. No doubt this helped him relax and so was able to hit the ball RE-A-LLY hard.
More photos and reports to follow…..
The crowd at the Ebrington Road ground were treated to 47 MAXima and 25 wickets during 60 overs of cricket. Batting only twice the CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory provided spectacular entertainment with 15 MAXima and in his first innings scored the season’s first kiloMAX sequence finishing 1,165 not out. With Australian Haydn Jones (56 not out from 11 balls) providing excellent support in his first CliMAX experience the curious on-lookers were quick to recognise Haydn ‘hits the ball RE-A-LLY hard’. The next time Jones and Gregory were batting they had a rescue act to perform with Josh Keyte and Will Turner back in the hutch by the second over. Despite hitting the ball RE-A-LLY hard, Haydn was content to take singles and keep the CliMAX-Kid on strike. Nat Gregory was at his most destructive and kept clearing the ropes, scoring 11,258.
However, the Marrows success was not purely based on batting supremacy; they took more wickets during the day than any other team and Josh Keyte led the way with an astonishing 4 wickets in just 4 overs, every bit living up to his CliMAX name – ‘Flighty Keyty’. Two wickets in consecutive balls in the opening salvo against Yubby could have won him the Champagne Moment, but he was pipped at the post by Witters (James Whitmore) who popped the cork for scored a hundred from just one ball and was finally rewarded for sheer effort in bat swinging.
The day was wonderfully punctuated by sandwiches courtesy of the Grant sisters, cream teas from Angie Clarkson, Bunny’s burgers and Sippy’s sausages. A big thanks to them all.
The lasting memory of Ebrington President’s CliMAX-Sixes was that the sun shone fiercely all day, such that Haydn Jones felt like he was at home in Western Australia. No doubt this helped him relax and so was able to hit the ball RE-A-LLY hard.
More photos and reports to follow…..
Pitch Preparations for President's
Preview of the Pitch for the Presidents CliMAX-Sixes
Thanks to a freak deluge that hit the pitch at Grafton Court, yet not the streets of Temple Grafton but half a mile away, the game between Temple Grafton and Ebrington was abandoned by the groundsman before most of the Ebrington team had risen from bed today - Saturday 25 June. No doubt Temple Grafton would be pleased with 5 points from the game schedule against a team with an awesome seam attack ready to exploit the cloud cover and damp pitch. However frustrating for Ebrington's title hopes in the Cotswold Hills League, this did provide the opportunity for club stalwarts to make preparations for the President's CliMAX-Sixes. SkySports might have mistakenly thought the excitement this weekend was to occur at Grafton Court, where there is confusingly also a President's Day, but readers of this website know that the place to be on Sunday 26 June 2011 is Ebrington's Campden Road Cricket Ground.
CliMAX-Sixes starts at 12 noon with the Grant Trophy played for by Yubby and the Marrows. This keenly fought contest will be followed by the eagerly awaited six-a-side tournament also featuring Ben Pigott's Super Kings and Mike Cupper's Hatherley and Reddings. With other club commitments decimating the Hatherley team, their chance of lifting the President's trophy looks rather remote. The prospects of the Marrows also took a blow this week as the CliMAX-Kid was hit painfully on the hand whilst knocking up. It seemed that Nat would be a non-playing captain this weekend, but the bruising is disappearing rapidly and there is a still a chance he could play.
Yubby must be favourites for the Grant Trophy with Jon Chambers and Paul Parmeter bringing experience to a youthful squad. However they lose these two who have no prior experience of CliMAX at lunch and with them the chances of overall victory in the President's CliMAX Cup.
Ebrington Cricket Club welcome you to the CliMAX-Sixes on Sunday. We anticipate enough spaces for cars to park on the bank, but cannot take responsibility for effects of the many balls that are anticipated to fly in their direction as batsmen seek the rewards from their MAXima. Bring some cash and enjoy Bunny's Barbecue of Clarkson's Cream Teas. Pop in for half an hour or stay from noon till sunset. You'll be thrilled - that's guaranteed with CliMAX. Come on!
CliMAX-Sixes starts at 12 noon with the Grant Trophy played for by Yubby and the Marrows. This keenly fought contest will be followed by the eagerly awaited six-a-side tournament also featuring Ben Pigott's Super Kings and Mike Cupper's Hatherley and Reddings. With other club commitments decimating the Hatherley team, their chance of lifting the President's trophy looks rather remote. The prospects of the Marrows also took a blow this week as the CliMAX-Kid was hit painfully on the hand whilst knocking up. It seemed that Nat would be a non-playing captain this weekend, but the bruising is disappearing rapidly and there is a still a chance he could play.
Yubby must be favourites for the Grant Trophy with Jon Chambers and Paul Parmeter bringing experience to a youthful squad. However they lose these two who have no prior experience of CliMAX at lunch and with them the chances of overall victory in the President's CliMAX Cup.
Ebrington Cricket Club welcome you to the CliMAX-Sixes on Sunday. We anticipate enough spaces for cars to park on the bank, but cannot take responsibility for effects of the many balls that are anticipated to fly in their direction as batsmen seek the rewards from their MAXima. Bring some cash and enjoy Bunny's Barbecue of Clarkson's Cream Teas. Pop in for half an hour or stay from noon till sunset. You'll be thrilled - that's guaranteed with CliMAX. Come on!
CliMAX-Sixes: Latest Team News
Will Gregory get back for own game?
The conceiver of CliMAX, Peter L Gregory, has been in New York trying to introduce our new concept to America. This photograph shows he has slipped, or been pushed, from the top of a tall building. Whether he makes it back for CliMAX-Sixes at Ebrington this Sunday is in the lap of the Gods. However, the tournament will go on!
CliMAX-Originals from Stratford are stuck in a time warp and have to play a quaint traditional form of cricket and so will not be gracing the ground on Campden Road after all. The same plight affects Sam Hill and the Paxford players. Rich Pozzi is keeping his team close to his chest and the tournament organisers have been given no idea who to expect, but any team with Norton Lindsey’s star all-rounder will be hard to beat.
Ben Pigott’s team of Super Kings remains as indicated on this webpage, but Hatherley and Reddings have selection headaches with a pull on their youngest players to represent the club in age group cricket. Mike Cupper may need to replace Callum Stewart as H&R captain, as Callum is considering an option to play for Herefordshire. This must make the chances of H&R retaining the President’s Trophy pretty small, though we can still expect to see Jack Edge, Robbie Baker and Tom Crofts who have valuable CliMAX experience.
The Marrows remain solid (uncooked) as ever with CliMAX-Kid supported by James Hicks, Fred Rawlings, Dan Cross, Flighty Keytey and Hayden Jones. Rawlings hit another scintillating 50 at the weekend and nearly saw Ebrington to a victory over league leaders Shipston in a rare game of traditional cricket which saw either team with a chance of winning until the penultimate ball – though the game had been reduced on several occasions by rain.
Yubby have home advantage, but selection has not been confirmed by skipper Mamba Collins. We understand that Matt Spencer, Tommo, James Whitmore, Tom Frost, George Tyler and Liam Cullen are available and therefore likely to feature during the day.
Spectators are welcome at Ebrington Cricket Club for the President’s CliMAX-Sixes from noon till sunset Sunday 26 June 2011. Dave Sipthorp and Ken Smith will ensure barbecued burgers are available and Angie Clarkson will tempt you with her delicious cream teas. Don’t miss it!
CliMAX-Originals from Stratford are stuck in a time warp and have to play a quaint traditional form of cricket and so will not be gracing the ground on Campden Road after all. The same plight affects Sam Hill and the Paxford players. Rich Pozzi is keeping his team close to his chest and the tournament organisers have been given no idea who to expect, but any team with Norton Lindsey’s star all-rounder will be hard to beat.
Ben Pigott’s team of Super Kings remains as indicated on this webpage, but Hatherley and Reddings have selection headaches with a pull on their youngest players to represent the club in age group cricket. Mike Cupper may need to replace Callum Stewart as H&R captain, as Callum is considering an option to play for Herefordshire. This must make the chances of H&R retaining the President’s Trophy pretty small, though we can still expect to see Jack Edge, Robbie Baker and Tom Crofts who have valuable CliMAX experience.
The Marrows remain solid (uncooked) as ever with CliMAX-Kid supported by James Hicks, Fred Rawlings, Dan Cross, Flighty Keytey and Hayden Jones. Rawlings hit another scintillating 50 at the weekend and nearly saw Ebrington to a victory over league leaders Shipston in a rare game of traditional cricket which saw either team with a chance of winning until the penultimate ball – though the game had been reduced on several occasions by rain.
Yubby have home advantage, but selection has not been confirmed by skipper Mamba Collins. We understand that Matt Spencer, Tommo, James Whitmore, Tom Frost, George Tyler and Liam Cullen are available and therefore likely to feature during the day.
Spectators are welcome at Ebrington Cricket Club for the President’s CliMAX-Sixes from noon till sunset Sunday 26 June 2011. Dave Sipthorp and Ken Smith will ensure barbecued burgers are available and Angie Clarkson will tempt you with her delicious cream teas. Don’t miss it!
Hicks hands out warning
Hicks plays with power of his legs
James Hicks warmed up for Ebrington's Presidents CliMAX-Sixes with a magnificent innings of 70 runs yesterday. He came to the crease with his side in a perilous position of barely 35 runs for 5 wickets. With calm assurance he stamped his authority on the innings. He timed the ball exquisitely and hit with power off his legs as he brought his team with in 4 runs of an unlikely victory over Stanway.
Hicks will be joined by Fred Rawlings in the Marrows team on Sunday 26 June 2011 and Fred sent his own warning to opponents. He took 3 wickets yesterday. Josh Keyte came closer to cricket, providing help with the luscious teas at Ebrington and The CliMAX-Kid, Nat Gregory provided a chauffeur service to Banbury Cricket Club. All these along with Aussie Haydn Jones and Blockley's Dan Cross will be in the mood to make sure the Marrows are not stuffed in the forthcoming CliMAX-Sixes.
Sunday 12 June 2011
Hicks will be joined by Fred Rawlings in the Marrows team on Sunday 26 June 2011 and Fred sent his own warning to opponents. He took 3 wickets yesterday. Josh Keyte came closer to cricket, providing help with the luscious teas at Ebrington and The CliMAX-Kid, Nat Gregory provided a chauffeur service to Banbury Cricket Club. All these along with Aussie Haydn Jones and Blockley's Dan Cross will be in the mood to make sure the Marrows are not stuffed in the forthcoming CliMAX-Sixes.
Sunday 12 June 2011
Australian confirms for Marrows
CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory played alongside Haydn Jones for Harvey CC, down under last winter. The Australian is in England playing for Armitage Bridge CC who lead the Cedar Court Conference in Yorkshire currently. He has agreed to make the journey south on Sunday 26 June to join the reigning Hatherley and Reddings CliMAX-Sixes champions - The Marrows - in the Ebrington Presidents CliMAX-Sixes tournament. He has already demonstrted his prowess in the opening game for the Yorkshire Club smashing 140. His exploits are reported on the webpages of The CliMAX-Kid Nat Gregory - click here.
The team from Ebrington CC in the President's CliMAX-Sixes this year will be captained by The Face of CliMAX Josh 'Mamba' Collins. Josh takes over the Yubby team from 'Duckie' Tom Clarkson who will be concentrating on his own game. You can see a very nice picture with 'Mamba' in it on the Josh Collins Page.
A new entry has been received for CliMAX-Sixes: Sam Hill will bring a team from Paxford. More news to follow.......
The team from Ebrington CC in the President's CliMAX-Sixes this year will be captained by The Face of CliMAX Josh 'Mamba' Collins. Josh takes over the Yubby team from 'Duckie' Tom Clarkson who will be concentrating on his own game. You can see a very nice picture with 'Mamba' in it on the Josh Collins Page.
A new entry has been received for CliMAX-Sixes: Sam Hill will bring a team from Paxford. More news to follow.......
Pigott picks pack for Presidents
Ben Pigott Super Kings captain
CliMAX-Original and previous captain at last years Ebrington CC President's CliMAX-Sixes has selected six for his team this year. Confident not to need to keep his hand close to his chest Ben Pigott has announced his players as Henry Leonard, Jack Groves, Luke McDonagh, Rob James, Gareth Langman and pf course Ben himself. Ben has exciting all-round qualities and his explosive batting is just right to topple more experienced cricketers he will come against in this years tournament. Likewise Jack Groves of North Cotswolds youth cricket could turn out to be player of the tournament.
You can follow the success of Ben's VI "The Super Kings" at Ebrington's Campden Road Ground on Sunday 26th June starting around 11 a.m and going on till dusk.
You can follow the success of Ben's VI "The Super Kings" at Ebrington's Campden Road Ground on Sunday 26th June starting around 11 a.m and going on till dusk.
Will Chambers rise to CliMAX challenge?
John Chambers rides bounce on way to century
Batting for the first time this season John Chambers of Ebrington CC rose to the challenge of the Cotswold Hills League bowlers from Tanworth and Camphill making a composed century. But will Chambers master CliMAX format on 26th June at the President's CliMAX-Sixes and Ebrington's Campden Road Ground?
Chambers century was supported by Rob Sipthorp who went beyond 50 for a third consecutive week after initial stability was provided by 'The Face of CliMAX, Mamba Collins. James Hicks teed off in the last few overs and these batters set up a massive total of 269 for 4.
Ebrington seamers again toiled with the new ball and Tanworth were well on track when Sipthorp introduces spin. Six, four, four and the newish ball lost! This didn't seem so bright, but in a less obvious way that in CliMAX, a wicket can be crucial and when off break bowler Liam Cullen enticed Tanworth opener to sweep straight to Peter Gregory at backwards square, Ebrington had their opening. Cullen then made the arm ball bounce and Sipthorp took a marvellous catch behind the wicket from a faint edge. Cullen took three wickets before being replaced at the Pavillion end by James Hicks who bowled fast and straight and picked up two wickets. Mamba ensnared one victim, but that was to be Yubby's lot as Tanworth approached but never really threatened their total. Ebrington secured victory and maintained their 100 percent record, but not without a little sweat.
Sunday 5 June 2011
Chambers century was supported by Rob Sipthorp who went beyond 50 for a third consecutive week after initial stability was provided by 'The Face of CliMAX, Mamba Collins. James Hicks teed off in the last few overs and these batters set up a massive total of 269 for 4.
Ebrington seamers again toiled with the new ball and Tanworth were well on track when Sipthorp introduces spin. Six, four, four and the newish ball lost! This didn't seem so bright, but in a less obvious way that in CliMAX, a wicket can be crucial and when off break bowler Liam Cullen enticed Tanworth opener to sweep straight to Peter Gregory at backwards square, Ebrington had their opening. Cullen then made the arm ball bounce and Sipthorp took a marvellous catch behind the wicket from a faint edge. Cullen took three wickets before being replaced at the Pavillion end by James Hicks who bowled fast and straight and picked up two wickets. Mamba ensnared one victim, but that was to be Yubby's lot as Tanworth approached but never really threatened their total. Ebrington secured victory and maintained their 100 percent record, but not without a little sweat.
Sunday 5 June 2011
Six-for Sexton lets Sippy slip
Jack Sexton lets one slip
Jack Sexton showed seaming colleagues how to take wickets at Bretforton last Saturday. James Hicks and Fred Rawlings had Bretforton openers playing and missing and Peter Gregory had a number of nicks fail to stick, but Sexton coming on in the 12th over immediately struck with a successful leg before appeal and then mesmerised Bretforton bats with wickets in nearly every over. He already had six wickets when Skipper Sippy was informed by umpire John Baldwyn that he had completed his allotment. In fact he had only bowled 9 overs and probably let a seven wicket haul slip through his fingers, as it took just one over from fellow 'offie' Liam Cullen to remove the last man.
Bretforton passed the 120 mark [scorecard], but this was no challenge for Ebrington for whom Rob Sipthorp scored a second consecutive Cotswold Hills League 50 and in form Matt Spencer who helped himself to 40 more runs. Another win sees Ebrington hold second place in the league table and they travel to Tanworth on Saturday 4th June for anyone wishing to take a look at some of the stars expected to perform at the CliMAX-Sixes on Sunday 26th June.
More photographs taken during this game by Charlotte Gregory can be found in the Technical Gallery.
Bretforton passed the 120 mark [scorecard], but this was no challenge for Ebrington for whom Rob Sipthorp scored a second consecutive Cotswold Hills League 50 and in form Matt Spencer who helped himself to 40 more runs. Another win sees Ebrington hold second place in the league table and they travel to Tanworth on Saturday 4th June for anyone wishing to take a look at some of the stars expected to perform at the CliMAX-Sixes on Sunday 26th June.
More photographs taken during this game by Charlotte Gregory can be found in the Technical Gallery.
Hage to star in CliMAX-Sixes
Tom Hage
Ebrington CC are excited to hear that one Hatherley and Reddings young cricket star, Tom Hage, is likely to make an appearance at the President's CliMAX-Sixes on Sunday 26th June 2011. He played the new format at his own club CliMAX-Sixes at the end of the 2010 season and took to the game easily. His innings on that day were some of the most elegant seen and he played with an ease that defied his age. Last year he scored 175 not out in a 20 over under 15s game and is still eligible to play in this age group. Spectators at the tournament at the Campden Road Ground will be able to see how much his game has come on since 2010.
Ebrington hosts CliMAX-Sixes
Pictured here is the beautiful Cotwold village cricket ground of Ebrington, which is proud to host the forthcoming President's CliMAX-Sixes Tournament on Sunday 26th June.
Teams are expected from Hatherley and Reddings in Cheltenham, Norton Lindsay, Stratford, Blockley, Chipping Campden along with the Young Guns of JJ Rudge and the Marrows of Nathaniel Gregory (The CliMAX-Kid). The organisers are hoping for appearances by Aussies Nathan Chapman and Hayden Jones.
Stars of CliMAX such as Mike Cupper, Callum Stewart, Mamba Collins, Mike Brown, Dan Knight, The Grundy brothers will pit their skills against virgin CliMAXers - Richard Pozzi and others, such as .....you?
Contact us if interested.
Teams are expected from Hatherley and Reddings in Cheltenham, Norton Lindsay, Stratford, Blockley, Chipping Campden along with the Young Guns of JJ Rudge and the Marrows of Nathaniel Gregory (The CliMAX-Kid). The organisers are hoping for appearances by Aussies Nathan Chapman and Hayden Jones.
Stars of CliMAX such as Mike Cupper, Callum Stewart, Mamba Collins, Mike Brown, Dan Knight, The Grundy brothers will pit their skills against virgin CliMAXers - Richard Pozzi and others, such as .....you?
Contact us if interested.
CliMAX-Originals dominate Cotswolds Hills opener
Matt Spencer on his way to century
Last summer Matt Spencer was the first to score a MAXimum from the last ball of his team’s innings, thereby keeping the innings going whilst he compiled a KiloMAX sequence. Once you have held your nerve in a final over of CliMAX, traditional cricket must seem a piece of cake and Spenny was cool as a cucumber in compiling an incredible century in the opening match for Ebrington in the Cotswold Hills League. Spenny's innings will be remembered for deft sweeps and a memorable MAXimum over the fence and on into a farmers yard.
Ebrington visited a promoted team from The Lenches and Harry Righton found the home pace attack a tad unsettling as he plunged onto the front foot and hoped for the best. It took 13 overs and only 13 runs to send him back, whilst skipper Rob Sipthorp found most deliveries in his short innings to his liking with a volley of boundaries.
Fred Rawlings, another CliMAX-Original, was determined to demonstrate his worth to Ebrington having joined from Adlestrop in the off-season. He thundered MAXimums twice over the fence at long-on and others over mid-wicket and square leg. The Lenches was simply not big enough for this monster of hitting. His 50 was thought to have come up in a mere 18 balls and all that followed was an anti-climax with Ebrington running out of steam on 250.
Rawlings was then partnered with the new ball by James Hicks who bowled with venom and accuracy. Two wickets were taken by Hicksy, also an Original, and Rawlings bowled superby without penetrating. Peter Gregory was helped by catching of Mamba Collins and PeePee (Parmenter) in claiming three wickets, whilst PeePee needed no help in clean bowling three of The Lenches. The final wicket was taken after downpour and Ebrington had totally squashed The Lenches by 160 runs.
Monday 16 May 2011
Ebrington visited a promoted team from The Lenches and Harry Righton found the home pace attack a tad unsettling as he plunged onto the front foot and hoped for the best. It took 13 overs and only 13 runs to send him back, whilst skipper Rob Sipthorp found most deliveries in his short innings to his liking with a volley of boundaries.
Fred Rawlings, another CliMAX-Original, was determined to demonstrate his worth to Ebrington having joined from Adlestrop in the off-season. He thundered MAXimums twice over the fence at long-on and others over mid-wicket and square leg. The Lenches was simply not big enough for this monster of hitting. His 50 was thought to have come up in a mere 18 balls and all that followed was an anti-climax with Ebrington running out of steam on 250.
Rawlings was then partnered with the new ball by James Hicks who bowled with venom and accuracy. Two wickets were taken by Hicksy, also an Original, and Rawlings bowled superby without penetrating. Peter Gregory was helped by catching of Mamba Collins and PeePee (Parmenter) in claiming three wickets, whilst PeePee needed no help in clean bowling three of The Lenches. The final wicket was taken after downpour and Ebrington had totally squashed The Lenches by 160 runs.
Monday 16 May 2011
CliMAX Champions Return
Callum Stewart bowls
Winners of the inaugural CliMAX-Sixes tournament held on President’s Day at Ebrington Cricket Club in 2010 – Hatherley and Reddings – are to bring a team to this year’s tournament being held on Sunday 26th June at the Camdpen Road Ground.
Captain Callum Stewart will pull together a squad to take on all-comers and Mike Cupper who provided some of the most impressive hitting last year has pledged to come and thrill the spectators again.
The tournament organisers were disappointed to learn this week that a team from Shipston-on-Stour under the captaincy of CliMAX-Original Craig Robbins has pulled out due to other commitments. One thing we can be certain of it that they won’t be involved in anything as exciting as CliMAX.
The fantastic news is the Rich Pozzi of now of Norton Lindsay and Ilmington cricket clubs is set to bring his team on 26th June. Pozzi is an awesome all-rounder and his presence makes this team an automatic favourite. For a while Banbury Cricket Club were favourite for the President’s Cup, but an Oxfordshire match on the day means the team that was to be made up of all minor county representative players are no longer available.
Stratford who played CliMAX format in 2010 will be a team to watch. Mike Brown of Herefordshire will manage this squad and play if current injury permits. A new team brought together just for President’s day and led by Australian Nathan Chapman is on the cards……….read this page again for further news.
Individual players or teams should contact us if they want to be a part of Ebrington’s CliMAX-Sixes on 26 June 2011. You are welcome!
Captain Callum Stewart will pull together a squad to take on all-comers and Mike Cupper who provided some of the most impressive hitting last year has pledged to come and thrill the spectators again.
The tournament organisers were disappointed to learn this week that a team from Shipston-on-Stour under the captaincy of CliMAX-Original Craig Robbins has pulled out due to other commitments. One thing we can be certain of it that they won’t be involved in anything as exciting as CliMAX.
The fantastic news is the Rich Pozzi of now of Norton Lindsay and Ilmington cricket clubs is set to bring his team on 26th June. Pozzi is an awesome all-rounder and his presence makes this team an automatic favourite. For a while Banbury Cricket Club were favourite for the President’s Cup, but an Oxfordshire match on the day means the team that was to be made up of all minor county representative players are no longer available.
Stratford who played CliMAX format in 2010 will be a team to watch. Mike Brown of Herefordshire will manage this squad and play if current injury permits. A new team brought together just for President’s day and led by Australian Nathan Chapman is on the cards……….read this page again for further news.
Individual players or teams should contact us if they want to be a part of Ebrington’s CliMAX-Sixes on 26 June 2011. You are welcome!
“Cricket is dead. Long live CliMAX !”
Coldplay cricketers kill cricket
We had the Royal Wedding last Friday. And what a wonderful occasion it was too. However the game at Ebrington on Sunday had me thinking of a Royal Funeral. The expression “The King is dead, Long live the King” became “Cricket is dead. Long live CliMAX”. Surely we must be coming to the end of limited over cricket.
The sun shone gloriously and a breeze blew throughout the 40 over torture between Ebrington CC and Slaughters United. Bass guitarist Guy Berryman appears not only to have sponsored Slaughters kit but also introduced a style of cricket based on the name of his rock band, ‘Coldplay’. After tea there was an almost total lack of passion from the club from the villages known as the Venice of the Cotswolds.
But can they be blamed? On the day there was a gulf in the ability of the sides. After a turgid start from openers Harry Righton and Peter Gregory, the pair took the rate to healthy run a ball before Gregory was out for 30 in the eight over. Righton (69) proved the anchor whilst Rob Sipthorp, Josh Collins, Nat Gregory and Duckie Clarkson powered the score to 281 for 5. The Face of CliMAX, Josh Mamba Collins gave his team consecutive 50s, whilst the CliMAX-Kid played as though this were CliMAX and scored 38 from only 3 overs at the crease. Josh Collins looks much more comfortable now sponsored by Joda Sports and wielding his Mamba blade than his did last year with the Mongoose, whose manufacturers failed to respond to an invitation to become involved with the CliMAX project in 2010.
The Campden Road Club are £800 poorer this year having upgraded their generator, but the players benefited from a lovely cup of piping hot tea between innings. Whitmore banged most of his deliveries in half way down, yet was 80 years too late to be credited with introducing Bodyline. The boy Hicks manfully steamed up the hill and provided some line and length and so was favoured by his captain Collins with eight overs on the reel. He nipped out one Slaughters opener with an inswinging yorker and with that the attacking shots dried up. Liam Cullen and Tom Frost followed up with guile and consistent lines, Cullen even attacking the stumps on most occasions. Frost bravely favoured a line towards the closer boundary and yet still it remained 100 yards away in the minds of the Slaughters batting pair. Only the gloved hands of combined wicketkeepers - the CliMAX-Kid and James Hicks – were endangered by these ripping deliveries.
Perhaps a Slaughters umpire shamed the batting pair at 30 overs when he quietly pointed out that the team now needed 16 an over to win. It was as though their remaining opener stopped seeing Yellow (Coldplay pun! Sorry) and then saw red. A flurry of attacking shots followed and almost inevitably a flurry of wickets; Mamba Collins, Harry Righton and the CliMAX-Kid all benefiting with more fantasy league points. Now from 10 overs of this innings I had been dreaming not of a white Christmas, which we did get last time, but of CliMAX, where the excitement is guaranteed to the last scheduled delivery and does not fizzle out with cheese and cucumber sandwiches and malt loaf. Yet, then when I was about to disappear for ever into a desperate cavern of boredom, Slaughters No. 7 strode to the crease with a curious swagger of defiance. With just 3 balls to go he announced himself with a boundary over long on and proceeded with another right over Righton’s head. Now had this been CliMAX, Ebrington would have been quaking and Righton’s nerve might have been stretched to the limit, for a MAXimum on the last delivery would have kept things open for a thrilling MAXimum sequence and a game dominated by the yobs from Yubby (not yobs, but pleasant young gentlemen really) might have been ripped from them at the very end. The obese female soprano might have had to put off her opening arpeggio until 7.30pm instead of starting with a few scales at 6pm albeit in a minor key.
The question must surely be, do any of Ebrington’s opponents this year (2011) have the balls to take us on at CliMAX, instead of risking yet another dreary game of one-sided cricket. May I be so bold to suggest Temple Grafton had it right last year in playing CliMAX up to tea and then a game of traditional 20 Twenty after, which just went to prove that limited over cricket is now DEAD!
Contact us if you would like to give CliMAX a go.
2 May 2011
The sun shone gloriously and a breeze blew throughout the 40 over torture between Ebrington CC and Slaughters United. Bass guitarist Guy Berryman appears not only to have sponsored Slaughters kit but also introduced a style of cricket based on the name of his rock band, ‘Coldplay’. After tea there was an almost total lack of passion from the club from the villages known as the Venice of the Cotswolds.
But can they be blamed? On the day there was a gulf in the ability of the sides. After a turgid start from openers Harry Righton and Peter Gregory, the pair took the rate to healthy run a ball before Gregory was out for 30 in the eight over. Righton (69) proved the anchor whilst Rob Sipthorp, Josh Collins, Nat Gregory and Duckie Clarkson powered the score to 281 for 5. The Face of CliMAX, Josh Mamba Collins gave his team consecutive 50s, whilst the CliMAX-Kid played as though this were CliMAX and scored 38 from only 3 overs at the crease. Josh Collins looks much more comfortable now sponsored by Joda Sports and wielding his Mamba blade than his did last year with the Mongoose, whose manufacturers failed to respond to an invitation to become involved with the CliMAX project in 2010.
The Campden Road Club are £800 poorer this year having upgraded their generator, but the players benefited from a lovely cup of piping hot tea between innings. Whitmore banged most of his deliveries in half way down, yet was 80 years too late to be credited with introducing Bodyline. The boy Hicks manfully steamed up the hill and provided some line and length and so was favoured by his captain Collins with eight overs on the reel. He nipped out one Slaughters opener with an inswinging yorker and with that the attacking shots dried up. Liam Cullen and Tom Frost followed up with guile and consistent lines, Cullen even attacking the stumps on most occasions. Frost bravely favoured a line towards the closer boundary and yet still it remained 100 yards away in the minds of the Slaughters batting pair. Only the gloved hands of combined wicketkeepers - the CliMAX-Kid and James Hicks – were endangered by these ripping deliveries.
Perhaps a Slaughters umpire shamed the batting pair at 30 overs when he quietly pointed out that the team now needed 16 an over to win. It was as though their remaining opener stopped seeing Yellow (Coldplay pun! Sorry) and then saw red. A flurry of attacking shots followed and almost inevitably a flurry of wickets; Mamba Collins, Harry Righton and the CliMAX-Kid all benefiting with more fantasy league points. Now from 10 overs of this innings I had been dreaming not of a white Christmas, which we did get last time, but of CliMAX, where the excitement is guaranteed to the last scheduled delivery and does not fizzle out with cheese and cucumber sandwiches and malt loaf. Yet, then when I was about to disappear for ever into a desperate cavern of boredom, Slaughters No. 7 strode to the crease with a curious swagger of defiance. With just 3 balls to go he announced himself with a boundary over long on and proceeded with another right over Righton’s head. Now had this been CliMAX, Ebrington would have been quaking and Righton’s nerve might have been stretched to the limit, for a MAXimum on the last delivery would have kept things open for a thrilling MAXimum sequence and a game dominated by the yobs from Yubby (not yobs, but pleasant young gentlemen really) might have been ripped from them at the very end. The obese female soprano might have had to put off her opening arpeggio until 7.30pm instead of starting with a few scales at 6pm albeit in a minor key.
The question must surely be, do any of Ebrington’s opponents this year (2011) have the balls to take us on at CliMAX, instead of risking yet another dreary game of one-sided cricket. May I be so bold to suggest Temple Grafton had it right last year in playing CliMAX up to tea and then a game of traditional 20 Twenty after, which just went to prove that limited over cricket is now DEAD!
Contact us if you would like to give CliMAX a go.
2 May 2011
Date for your diary
CliMAX fans won't want to miss the Ebrington Cricket Club President's Day. After the success of CliMAX format for the six a side tournament in 2010, won by Hatherley and Reddings CC, we have been invited to run the tournament on the same basis - CliMAX-Sixes rules. Squads of up to 9 players are invited to contact us if they want to enter (£30 per team). But hurry as places will be limited.
Food and drink will be available for purchase on the day and spectators are welcome at the Campden Road Ground, Ebrington. We will keep you informed of teams and their likely players, starting time, etc. on these webpages.
Oh! And the date you need is .....Sunday 26th June 2010.
Food and drink will be available for purchase on the day and spectators are welcome at the Campden Road Ground, Ebrington. We will keep you informed of teams and their likely players, starting time, etc. on these webpages.
Oh! And the date you need is .....Sunday 26th June 2010.
Get on Board - with CliMAX
Click on the logo to go straight to e-Bay
One new CliMAX-Board game has gone on sale by auction on e-Bay. Bids from just 1p with £2.50 to cover postage in UK. It's another competition brought to you by CliMAX and will reach peak excitement in 10 days.
Will you be the winner? Will you get a bargain?
Current retail price £25 includes postage in UK.
Sunday 27 March 2011
Will you be the winner? Will you get a bargain?
Current retail price £25 includes postage in UK.
Sunday 27 March 2011
Sri Lanka miss the point
Sri Lanka please themselves
Moving into the knock out stage from the league, Sri Lanka
entirely missed the point against England.
Now the tournament is stripped of the only team to provide regular
entertainment – England. Even during the
first half of the quarter final at the Premadasa Stadium, Colombo there was an
intriguing balance between bat and ball with England batters able to accumulate
singles but not find the boundary.
However the 50 over total score of 229 for 6 was certainly something with
which the Sri Lankans could work.
Perhaps it was the partisan crown, which got the better of the openers Upal Tharanga and Tilakaratne Dilshan as they clearly forgot this game was being televised by some 47 or so different broadcasters in umpteen different countries. I was dragged out shopping as Sri Lanka started to bat, but when I returned I realised how lucky I had been; the Sri Lankan opening pair were still at the wicket and were closing in 200. With loads of overs left, the only remaining thing for Sri Lankans was so stage a dramatic collapse, scratch around for 10 overs, and allow the tail to edge over the line with a few balls to go. But no, history tells us, they just batted on, as though it were some televised net practice. Not something for the neutral onlooker to relish.
The other culprits, Pakistan will meet India in the semi-final after their tedious 10 wicket win over the West Indies. At least New Zealand are getting the idea and took South Africa into the 44th over in their 49 runs win. Let’s hope they teach Sri Lanka something about entertainment in their forthcoming semi-final.
As the ICC World Cup 2011 approaches its climax – sadly the cricket does not. As cricket lovers, we can only look forward to making our own peak excitement this coming season in CliMAX 2011. Are you ready?
Perhaps it was the partisan crown, which got the better of the openers Upal Tharanga and Tilakaratne Dilshan as they clearly forgot this game was being televised by some 47 or so different broadcasters in umpteen different countries. I was dragged out shopping as Sri Lanka started to bat, but when I returned I realised how lucky I had been; the Sri Lankan opening pair were still at the wicket and were closing in 200. With loads of overs left, the only remaining thing for Sri Lankans was so stage a dramatic collapse, scratch around for 10 overs, and allow the tail to edge over the line with a few balls to go. But no, history tells us, they just batted on, as though it were some televised net practice. Not something for the neutral onlooker to relish.
The other culprits, Pakistan will meet India in the semi-final after their tedious 10 wicket win over the West Indies. At least New Zealand are getting the idea and took South Africa into the 44th over in their 49 runs win. Let’s hope they teach Sri Lanka something about entertainment in their forthcoming semi-final.
As the ICC World Cup 2011 approaches its climax – sadly the cricket does not. As cricket lovers, we can only look forward to making our own peak excitement this coming season in CliMAX 2011. Are you ready?
Original CliMAX to successful season
Jim Troughton presents Tom Grundy with the Stratford Players Players Cup 2011
Tom Grundy, a CliMAX Original, and Stratford Cricket Club player took the Players Player Award at the Stratford CC Dinner recently. Professional and international cricketer and previous Stratford youth player, Jim Troughton presented Tom with his cup. Tom has been a reliable swing bowler through his years with the youth team and now is successful in first team cricket.
Tom showed his versatility during CliMAX last summer, when he was more successful with the bat than ball. He is featured in the current version of CliMAX-Board available for sale from this website.
21 March, 2011
Tom showed his versatility during CliMAX last summer, when he was more successful with the bat than ball. He is featured in the current version of CliMAX-Board available for sale from this website.
21 March, 2011
England disappoint
Strauss in too much of a hurry
Yes, it is true England did enough to give themselves a
chance of progressing in the ICC World Cup 2011 by beating the West Indies in their
final group match, but the style was a little lacking. We have come accustomed to the most
professional entertainment, but on this occasion England wasted more than 5
overs when Trott ran Benn out with a throw from fine leg. It was not as if the runs were close. At that point West Indies still wanted 19 to win
and in cricket that takes at least 4 deliveries and probably quite a few
more. Nevertheless, I am delighted they are
progressing to the quarter finals where it will be a relief to find a team that
entertains the public in preference to annihilating their opponents.
Even the commentators have latched on the entertainment value of Strauss’s boys and a considering the benefit of close games in preparing the squad for the ‘do or die’ games that follow. It goes to show that everyone realises the benefit of this kind of preparation and one day soon they too will appreciate how the CliMAX format can be used tune up cricketers for those tough matches that are decided by one mistake or one moment of brilliance. Following this we should be able to have the fans squealing with delight, match after match, as the cricket world comes to CliMAX!
20 March 2011
Even the commentators have latched on the entertainment value of Strauss’s boys and a considering the benefit of close games in preparing the squad for the ‘do or die’ games that follow. It goes to show that everyone realises the benefit of this kind of preparation and one day soon they too will appreciate how the CliMAX format can be used tune up cricketers for those tough matches that are decided by one mistake or one moment of brilliance. Following this we should be able to have the fans squealing with delight, match after match, as the cricket world comes to CliMAX!
20 March 2011
England let South Africa off the hook
O'Brien in climax versus England?
As England pulled off a dramatic win, the meaning of the
headline may not be apparent. I merely
wanted to draw attention to my observation that the South Africans did not
score one of their runs with the hook shot in the recent ICC World Cup match
against England and this was surely due to an almost total lack of short balls –
bouncers or slower bouncers – served up by the English seam attack. With only Jimmy Anderson at times straying
down the leg side (3 wides) it was an almost perfect display of line and length. A little bit of reverse swing, perhaps due to
the abrasive surface roughing up the ball at Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai and
some vicious turn from Graham Swann and occasionally Kevin Pietersen enabled
the 171 runs scored earlier to be a match winning total.
Tim Bresnan’s aggression against Dale Steyn did lead to the big man fending one off from around his neck and though it could have gone anywhere, even into someone’s hands, in fact it lead to runs backward of square on the leg side.
The win took England to the top of their table for a few hours, until India had accomplished a 5 wicket victory over Ireland. Progression to the quarter finals looks likely for England though they have a little more work to do before securing a place. However, the ICC should consider given them an automatic place in the latter stages, as they are the only team to consistently produce entertaining games that go to the wire. What is the point of professional sport, unless it entertains? England clearly understands this and provide entertainment whether winning against lesser cricketing nations such as Netherlands or taking a scalp from one of the tournament favourites South Africa.
The game against Ireland was no exception. Having scored with 327 for 8, they had the Irish 111 for 5 in the 25th over. They then spilt enough catches and bowl enough full tosses and long hops to produce a competitive game, when most though that would be impossible. Thanks to incredible hitting and a slice of luck (associated with being Irish) Kevin O’Brien scored 100 from 50 balls and had nearly seen his side to victory when he was out for 113. By then only 11 were needed from 11 balls and Mooney and Johnston saw them home at the beginning of the 50th over. Another fantastic game!
Unfortunately most of the other games have continued to be dull one-sided affairs, i.e. West Indies beat Bangladesh by 9 wickets, New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets and South Africa beat Netherlands by 231 runs. If England played in all games of cricket we wouldn’t need CliMAX, but the evidence so far indicates that the ICC should change the format of the next world cup to CliMAX rules – for peak excitement for cricket lovers!
Monday 7 March 2011
Tim Bresnan’s aggression against Dale Steyn did lead to the big man fending one off from around his neck and though it could have gone anywhere, even into someone’s hands, in fact it lead to runs backward of square on the leg side.
The win took England to the top of their table for a few hours, until India had accomplished a 5 wicket victory over Ireland. Progression to the quarter finals looks likely for England though they have a little more work to do before securing a place. However, the ICC should consider given them an automatic place in the latter stages, as they are the only team to consistently produce entertaining games that go to the wire. What is the point of professional sport, unless it entertains? England clearly understands this and provide entertainment whether winning against lesser cricketing nations such as Netherlands or taking a scalp from one of the tournament favourites South Africa.
The game against Ireland was no exception. Having scored with 327 for 8, they had the Irish 111 for 5 in the 25th over. They then spilt enough catches and bowl enough full tosses and long hops to produce a competitive game, when most though that would be impossible. Thanks to incredible hitting and a slice of luck (associated with being Irish) Kevin O’Brien scored 100 from 50 balls and had nearly seen his side to victory when he was out for 113. By then only 11 were needed from 11 balls and Mooney and Johnston saw them home at the beginning of the 50th over. Another fantastic game!
Unfortunately most of the other games have continued to be dull one-sided affairs, i.e. West Indies beat Bangladesh by 9 wickets, New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets and South Africa beat Netherlands by 231 runs. If England played in all games of cricket we wouldn’t need CliMAX, but the evidence so far indicates that the ICC should change the format of the next world cup to CliMAX rules – for peak excitement for cricket lovers!
Monday 7 March 2011
England spice cricket up on the subcontinent
You may have read how tedious cricket matches can be when
dominated by one side. The start of ICC
World Cup was characterised by these sporting non-events and then enter England
on to the stage! Surely they warned us
that they would not take the Netherlands lightly and it appears it was just as
well being set a huge total to win.
Scoring 296 for 4 put them third in the list of highest World Cup chases
and either was a perfectly paced innings with 8 balls left or this was a superbly
balanced contest that excited fans partisan or neutral alike.
Winning such battles is supposed to be character building and England’s team belief should have benefited in the seemingly impossible battle to beat India at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Banglore. The “little maestro” Sachin Tendulkar showed the way to bat notching up his 47th one-day century for India, but he was eclipsed by England’s own inspirational captain Andrew Strauss. He threw caution to the wind all he touched seem to be turning to gold until the decision to take the batting power play in the 42nd over. Bell was possibly ‘cramped’ out and next ball Strauss himself was LBW for a staggering 158 from 145 balls.
It appears England batters could have done with a few sessions of CliMAX style coaching as preparation to handle the pressure of finding another 50 odd from 33 balls. True Swann, Bresnan and Shahzad all hit maximums, but only one each and others (Prior and Collingwood) certainly perished in their attempts to do the same. In CliMAX, lose a wicket and lose everything! Surely that would focus the mind and perhaps the batter would learn to pick more wisely the delivery to despatch. Let’s hope Andy Flower reads these pages and finds the boys a chance for a middle practice to try it out before taking on the likes of South Africa whose bowling will be much more challenging than the Indians.
Anyway, the game was amazing – “a great advert for 50 over cricket” (Ian Botham) - and after the game swung back in favour of the Indians, it then came round to the excitement of one ball to go, two to win for England and one for the tie or a dot ball to win for India. Shahzad hit a firm drive to extra cover, but straight to a fielder, the single secured and the tie was achieved. Phew! Peak excitement for cricket lovers….., but not CliMAX format! Yet this is what CliMAX achieves game after game guaranteed - A result that can go either way until the last scheduled delivery.
Winning such battles is supposed to be character building and England’s team belief should have benefited in the seemingly impossible battle to beat India at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Banglore. The “little maestro” Sachin Tendulkar showed the way to bat notching up his 47th one-day century for India, but he was eclipsed by England’s own inspirational captain Andrew Strauss. He threw caution to the wind all he touched seem to be turning to gold until the decision to take the batting power play in the 42nd over. Bell was possibly ‘cramped’ out and next ball Strauss himself was LBW for a staggering 158 from 145 balls.
It appears England batters could have done with a few sessions of CliMAX style coaching as preparation to handle the pressure of finding another 50 odd from 33 balls. True Swann, Bresnan and Shahzad all hit maximums, but only one each and others (Prior and Collingwood) certainly perished in their attempts to do the same. In CliMAX, lose a wicket and lose everything! Surely that would focus the mind and perhaps the batter would learn to pick more wisely the delivery to despatch. Let’s hope Andy Flower reads these pages and finds the boys a chance for a middle practice to try it out before taking on the likes of South Africa whose bowling will be much more challenging than the Indians.
Anyway, the game was amazing – “a great advert for 50 over cricket” (Ian Botham) - and after the game swung back in favour of the Indians, it then came round to the excitement of one ball to go, two to win for England and one for the tie or a dot ball to win for India. Shahzad hit a firm drive to extra cover, but straight to a fielder, the single secured and the tie was achieved. Phew! Peak excitement for cricket lovers….., but not CliMAX format! Yet this is what CliMAX achieves game after game guaranteed - A result that can go either way until the last scheduled delivery.
The ICC World Cup -
What if?
In cricket you can general tell how exciting the game wasn’t by looking at the scorecard. Let’s test that for the ICC showcase of
cricket – The Cricket World Cup 2011 – after the first few days:.
Sri Lanka scored 332 for 7 and then bowled Canada out for 122 inside 37 overs. Were the crowd cheated out of 13 overs entertainment and did the Canadian supports have any reason to be optimistic after losing their top three batters for 12 runs. The game will be remembered for the display of individual genius by Dilshan, Jayawardene and Sangakkara, none of whom had anything to prove against these minnows of international cricket.
A victory by 83 runs in the opening game between India and Bangladesh suggests very few nails were bitten to the quick watching this spectacle. Of course, the neutral would have purred with delight to see Sehwag score 175 from 140 balls and the less familiar but no less impressive Kohli collect an unbeaten century from just 83. But the daunting Indian total of 370 gave Bangladesh an almost impossible target. Even the flamboyant Bangladeshi batting order had slipped well behind the run rate by half way through their innings and it was unlikely that they or their most ardent supporters would have given them a realist chance of winning from then on. We might be forgiven that players then went through the motions, maybe getting a bit of useful middle practice to put them in good stead for matches to come.
Oh, and then came New Zealand and Kenya. A promising feast of 100 overs of cricket reduced to 31.5 overs. No wonder we call it limited-over cricket! Bennett, Southee and Oram blew the Kenyans away for 69 and then openers Guptill and McCullum take just 8 overs to knock them off. What did the crowd do for the rest of the day and how did the broadcasters fill the other 4 hours?
Today we had Australia taking on Zimbabwe. No one player dominated for Australia, but the collective effort mustered 260 for 6. Pundits said Zimbabwe had bowled well and had a chance but within an hour they were reduced to 44 for 4 and the chances of victory were minimal. The worst of the batting to come and the run rate required climbing. ‘A good effort’ some said, in reaching 171, but how many of those were scored when the contest was meaningful?
In a CliMAX World Cup, Bangladesh might have been chasing 3,320 and slipped well behind the required rate, even lost all their wickets, but Tamin Iqbal might have found himself back in for the last over and cleared the ropes on four consecutive deliveries to steal the game from India. Sri Lanka might have broken all records and reached more than one million in their innings, but still Canada would have a chance to produce a MAXimum sequence to overcome them right till the 600th ball of the day. Kenya might have struggled throughout their innings time and time again against the strong Kiwis and produce a total of just 19, but even if Guptill and McCullum had batted beautifully through 49 overs, accumulating 400 runs, a wicket in the last would mean that 20 would still be needed or the minnows would have their scalp. Yes, each game would CliMAX and not fizzle out.
CliMAX – bring it on!
Sri Lanka scored 332 for 7 and then bowled Canada out for 122 inside 37 overs. Were the crowd cheated out of 13 overs entertainment and did the Canadian supports have any reason to be optimistic after losing their top three batters for 12 runs. The game will be remembered for the display of individual genius by Dilshan, Jayawardene and Sangakkara, none of whom had anything to prove against these minnows of international cricket.
A victory by 83 runs in the opening game between India and Bangladesh suggests very few nails were bitten to the quick watching this spectacle. Of course, the neutral would have purred with delight to see Sehwag score 175 from 140 balls and the less familiar but no less impressive Kohli collect an unbeaten century from just 83. But the daunting Indian total of 370 gave Bangladesh an almost impossible target. Even the flamboyant Bangladeshi batting order had slipped well behind the run rate by half way through their innings and it was unlikely that they or their most ardent supporters would have given them a realist chance of winning from then on. We might be forgiven that players then went through the motions, maybe getting a bit of useful middle practice to put them in good stead for matches to come.
Oh, and then came New Zealand and Kenya. A promising feast of 100 overs of cricket reduced to 31.5 overs. No wonder we call it limited-over cricket! Bennett, Southee and Oram blew the Kenyans away for 69 and then openers Guptill and McCullum take just 8 overs to knock them off. What did the crowd do for the rest of the day and how did the broadcasters fill the other 4 hours?
Today we had Australia taking on Zimbabwe. No one player dominated for Australia, but the collective effort mustered 260 for 6. Pundits said Zimbabwe had bowled well and had a chance but within an hour they were reduced to 44 for 4 and the chances of victory were minimal. The worst of the batting to come and the run rate required climbing. ‘A good effort’ some said, in reaching 171, but how many of those were scored when the contest was meaningful?
In a CliMAX World Cup, Bangladesh might have been chasing 3,320 and slipped well behind the required rate, even lost all their wickets, but Tamin Iqbal might have found himself back in for the last over and cleared the ropes on four consecutive deliveries to steal the game from India. Sri Lanka might have broken all records and reached more than one million in their innings, but still Canada would have a chance to produce a MAXimum sequence to overcome them right till the 600th ball of the day. Kenya might have struggled throughout their innings time and time again against the strong Kiwis and produce a total of just 19, but even if Guptill and McCullum had batted beautifully through 49 overs, accumulating 400 runs, a wicket in the last would mean that 20 would still be needed or the minnows would have their scalp. Yes, each game would CliMAX and not fizzle out.
CliMAX – bring it on!
Shock News :–
The ‘goose goes Mamba
Black Mamba
Josh Collins,
considered by some to be the ‘pin up’ of CliMAX, has announced a change of allegiance
from the Mongoose, which offered him lots of bulk at the bottom, to a more
conventional blade for 2011. He is now
in bed with Joda Sports and you can have a look at some of the knock on
benefits the long awaited Josh Collins page.
13 February 2011
13 February 2011
CliMAX answers cricket short-form short-comings
Congratulations to Australia who have outplayed England in
the one-day series. This was a gutsy response
to being beaten 3-1 in the test series and the gloss should not be taken off
the 6-1 series victory by commentators who claim England’s efforts in the
latter games might have been weakened because the series was already lost,
because the forthcoming World Cup would be on their minds or because the players
had been away from home for so long.
However, wouldn’t it be nice if the series had not been dead and that there was always something very significant for which to compete? Wouldn’t the fans have appreciated a chance for their team to spring a victory both in the game and in the series right at the end? Surely it would not be wrong to provide them and the players with hope.
Now, doesn’t all that sound like CliMAX? For those of you who have not experienced it, CliMAX is a game providing peak excitement for cricket lovers, by allowing either team to win right up to the last scheduled delivery.
CliMAX is won by the team with the highest final score in the game. (There are other ways of deciding when the final scores are equal). Instead of awarding a notional point for each game won in a series, the final scores may be accumulated as points. Then approaching the last scheduled delivery of the last game, the batting team are still able to score anything, as CliMAX rules allow another delivery if a MAXimum is struck – or an extra conceded. Whilst MAXimums continue to be struck the score escalates massively in a geometric series – 10, 100, 1000, 10,000, 100,000, 1,000,000……..
The bowling team are rewarded by cancelling the oppositions score whenever they take a wicket and to reduce the opponents to zero may be enough to win both the game and the series, but should their tally of final scores from previous games not have exceeded their opponents the zero would not be enough. We have awarded 10 points per wicket taken to the points tally in our CliMAX competitions so far, with bonuses for wickets from successive deliveries, i.e. 100 points for the second wicket if immediately follows another, 1000 for the third, 10,0000 for the fourth, etc. Thus, a million bonus points are gained for the unlikely but possible sixth wicket in successive deliveries (regardless of who bowled it). Now it may not always be possible for the bowling team to secure the series win on the last scheduled delivery but with so many points available even in the last over, their hopes may remain raised much longer in the game than in the current One-Day International Cricket series format.
Please note that these are not the complete rules of CliMAX and that further information is required for you to make it work fully. Contact us if you are interested.
However, wouldn’t it be nice if the series had not been dead and that there was always something very significant for which to compete? Wouldn’t the fans have appreciated a chance for their team to spring a victory both in the game and in the series right at the end? Surely it would not be wrong to provide them and the players with hope.
Now, doesn’t all that sound like CliMAX? For those of you who have not experienced it, CliMAX is a game providing peak excitement for cricket lovers, by allowing either team to win right up to the last scheduled delivery.
CliMAX is won by the team with the highest final score in the game. (There are other ways of deciding when the final scores are equal). Instead of awarding a notional point for each game won in a series, the final scores may be accumulated as points. Then approaching the last scheduled delivery of the last game, the batting team are still able to score anything, as CliMAX rules allow another delivery if a MAXimum is struck – or an extra conceded. Whilst MAXimums continue to be struck the score escalates massively in a geometric series – 10, 100, 1000, 10,000, 100,000, 1,000,000……..
The bowling team are rewarded by cancelling the oppositions score whenever they take a wicket and to reduce the opponents to zero may be enough to win both the game and the series, but should their tally of final scores from previous games not have exceeded their opponents the zero would not be enough. We have awarded 10 points per wicket taken to the points tally in our CliMAX competitions so far, with bonuses for wickets from successive deliveries, i.e. 100 points for the second wicket if immediately follows another, 1000 for the third, 10,0000 for the fourth, etc. Thus, a million bonus points are gained for the unlikely but possible sixth wicket in successive deliveries (regardless of who bowled it). Now it may not always be possible for the bowling team to secure the series win on the last scheduled delivery but with so many points available even in the last over, their hopes may remain raised much longer in the game than in the current One-Day International Cricket series format.
Please note that these are not the complete rules of CliMAX and that further information is required for you to make it work fully. Contact us if you are interested.
Happy New Year
In the land that gave us CliMAX, they dream each year of a white Christmas. In 2010 the dream came true. A rare event indeed, but 2010 will not be remembered for snow at Christmas, but for the launch of a new sport. Christmas presents give the recipients a thrill, but it is often short lived, CliMAX is now here and for ever! Everyone has a chance to experience the excitement whether playing at their cricket club or school, watching games unfold or joining in games of the next best thing; CliMAX-Board, which simulates CliMAX using dice.
The News of 'CliMAX during 2010' is now confined to an Archive, but you can catch up with reading about it and seeing the photographs at the CliMAX-News Archive 2010. Return to this page regularly if you want to stay up to date with the progress of the CliMAX project in 2011.
May 2011 be wonderful as you cricket lovers repeatedly achieve peak excitement!
The News of 'CliMAX during 2010' is now confined to an Archive, but you can catch up with reading about it and seeing the photographs at the CliMAX-News Archive 2010. Return to this page regularly if you want to stay up to date with the progress of the CliMAX project in 2011.
May 2011 be wonderful as you cricket lovers repeatedly achieve peak excitement!